Evening News and Scotsman

[NAE NOOKIE]

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What made-up facts have the Scottish press come up with about the Scottish government? If their job, as you say, is to call to account the people in charge then surely the Scottish government ARE the people in charge? Or are you suggesting that the Scottish government never actually get anything wrong?

As for the papers you list, given that the Herald group actually publish the National and that until its recent demise the Sunday Herald was strongly supportive of the SNP I'd suggest they're far from anti-independence. The Scotsman these days is cobbled together by such a skeleton staff that they're probably just glad to get a paper out without bothering much about whether they're perceived as pro or anti independence.

I have never suggested that the Scottish government never get stuff wrong, in fact there are a number of things they do and have done that I disagree with, SNP supporter or not, there is no such thing as a perfect government.

As for made up stuff, I honestly cant be arsed to go looking for specific examples, but as a generalisation nobody but nobody can seriously argue with a straight face against the fact that the overwhelming stance of the press in this country is to absolutely look for every negative they can get their hands on with which to bash the Government and the independence movement in general. This is not based on a moral stance to bring politicians to account, this is based on an overwhelming desire to push the political agenda of the papers publishers which is to discredit the SNP and independence movement at every turn and preserve the status quo in this country.

If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence. They criticised the government for not using Scottish steel in the construction, repeating criticism from Labour and Tory politicians, and totally ignoring the fact that there wasn't a single steel producer in Scotland capable of supplying the type of steel construction of the bridge required.

And who can forget the frenzy they got themselves into over that nurse who launched into Nicola Sturgeon on Question time about the disgrace of nurses being 'forced' to use food banks.
They reported that with undisguised delight, when the real question had to be, how the hell can somebody earning way more than what most ordinary people earn in this country be complaining about their pay and saying it takes them to food bank poverty levels? … I defy you to find one single paper who raised that blatantly obvious question. After 36 years in the civil service I still hadn't reached the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse in this country, but I wouldn't have had the brass neck to complain about my pay when I knew fully well that a lot of full time workers earned a hell of a lot less.

When I posted about this on Facebook by the way two people I know, one a qualified and working nurse and one who had been a nurse fully agreed with me.

Since the 2014 referendum there has been no criticism that you would notice of the broken promises … the fact that the Clyde didn't get all of the work that was promised and the absolute irony that the threat they used to frighten EU nationals into voting no has been turned on its head and that no vote has lead them into a situation where they will definitely no longer be living in an EU member country and that that situation was caused by a signatory of the so called 'vow' …………… In a country with a balanced and fair press the people responsible for that state of affairs would have been burned at the stake in print, and yet in the Scottish press there is barely a puff of smoke, especially on the back of the fact that Scotland overwhelmingly voted against 'brexit'

In this Sunday's edition of the Mail on Sunday a whole page is given over to the odious David Mundell to rail against Nicola Sturgeon …. The same guy who said that an EU exit deal like the one just delivered by Theresa May would be a red line for him and lead to his resignation, the same red line by the way which was cited by that darling of the Tory press Ruth Davidson …….. where is the criticism of them for not having the courage of their convictions and resigning over the issue as both had indicated they would?

So much for taking politicians to account, because it isn't just their job to hold government politicians to account, but all politicians surely … no in Scotland it would appear.

I could go on and on and on …… Under this constant relentless bombardment where the opposition is never put under the microscope, for example by asking Ruth Davidson to defend her party's UK policies which are hated by the majority of Scots, its an absolute miracle that the SNP's support has held up the way it has.

The unfair and unbalanced attitude of the press in this country is in my opinion indefensible. I'm aware the National is published by the same group who publish the Herald by the way, its interesting that the papers independence sympathetic Sunday version was binned at the same time … it wouldn't do to have more than one paper helping to redress the massive imbalance I suppose.

[Scotty Leither]

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What is a deliberately skewered about the question posed in the poll?

Would you vote for Scottish independence in a second referendum?

I think we're at cross-purposes here...it's not their online poll i'm referring to (although that was apparently running at 80% pro-independence earlier in the day much to the chagrin of the BTL banshees), it was the data extrapolated from the convoluted question asked by Scotland in Union - that august organisation supported by Archie MacPherson amongst others, and bankrolled by various Viscounts, Earls and Colonels which the Scotsman editors presumably thought justified their outlandish claims re voting intentions.

That was the motivation for calling it "skewed".

For the record though, I do feel sorry for the staff but it seems the editors of the Hootsman do have their fingers firmly stuck in their ears, hence sympathy for the title itself being in fairly short supply.

[Scotty Leither]

Edit: The onine poll is now running at 81% pro-indy.

I've just voted on it myself.

[JimBHibees]

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I have never suggested that the Scottish government never get stuff wrong, in fact there are a number of things they do and have done that I disagree with, SNP supporter or not, there is no such thing as a perfect government.

As for made up stuff, I honestly cant be arsed to go looking for specific examples, but as a generalisation nobody but nobody can seriously argue with a straight face against the fact that the overwhelming stance of the press in this country is to absolutely look for every negative they can get their hands on with which to bash the Government and the independence movement in general. This is not based on a moral stance to bring politicians to account, this is based on an overwhelming desire to push the political agenda of the papers publishers which is to discredit the SNP and independence movement at every turn and preserve the status quo in this country.

If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence. They criticised the government for not using Scottish steel in the construction, repeating criticism from Labour and Tory politicians, and totally ignoring the fact that there wasn't a single steel producer in Scotland capable of supplying the type of steel construction of the bridge required.

And who can forget the frenzy they got themselves into over that nurse who launched into Nicola Sturgeon on Question time about the disgrace of nurses being 'forced' to use food banks.
They reported that with undisguised delight, when the real question had to be, how the hell can somebody earning way more than what most ordinary people earn in this country be complaining about their pay and saying it takes them to food bank poverty levels? … I defy you to find one single paper who raised that blatantly obvious question. After 36 years in the civil service I still hadn't reached the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse in this country, but I wouldn't have had the brass neck to complain about my pay when I knew fully well that a lot of full time workers earned a hell of a lot less.

When I posted about this on Facebook by the way two people I know, one a qualified and working nurse and one who had been a nurse fully agreed with me.

Since the 2014 referendum there has been no criticism that you would notice of the broken promises … the fact that the Clyde didn't get all of the work that was promised and the absolute irony that the threat they used to frighten EU nationals into voting no has been turned on its head and that no vote has lead them into a situation where they will definitely no longer be living in an EU member country and that that situation was caused by a signatory of the so called 'vow' …………… In a country with a balanced and fair press the people responsible for that state of affairs would have been burned at the stake in print, and yet in the Scottish press there is barely a puff of smoke, especially on the back of the fact that Scotland overwhelmingly voted against 'brexit'

In this Sunday's edition of the Mail on Sunday a whole page is given over to the odious David Mundell to rail against Nicola Sturgeon …. The same guy who said that an EU exit deal like the one just delivered by Theresa May would be a red line for him and lead to his resignation, the same red line by the way which was cited by that darling of the Tory press Ruth Davidson …….. where is the criticism of them for not having the courage of their convictions and resigning over the issue as both had indicated they would?

So much for taking politicians to account, because it isn't just their job to hold government politicians to account, but all politicians surely … no in Scotland it would appear.

I could go on and on and on …… Under this constant relentless bombardment where the opposition is never put under the microscope, for example by asking Ruth Davidson to defend her party's UK policies which are hated by the majority of Scots, its an absolute miracle that the SNP's support has held up the way it has.

The unfair and unbalanced attitude of the press in this country is in my opinion indefensible. I'm aware the National is published by the same group who publish the Herald by the way, its interesting that the papers independence sympathetic Sunday version was binned at the same time … it wouldn't do to have more than one paper helping to redress the massive imbalance I suppose.

Totally agree with that.

[speedy_gonzales]

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If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence.

Perhaps not the best example, even though the bridge had an official opening, it's still not finished. Plenty work going on but it doesn't affect the carriageway (most nights) so nobody is really bothered except for the pedants in this parish 😉

[Keith_M]

I just wanted to clarify, as there has been some discussion about it...

While I'm not keen on the Scotsman, I do have sympathy for anybody that would lose their jobs or pensions if it's in trouble. I had the same sympathy for people that lost their jobs when Rangers went bust. I even had sympathy for the Debenture Holders that were ripped off.

[WhileTheChief..]

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Totally agree with that.

I totally disagree with it.

Hibs.net, fair and balanced

[G B Young]

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I have never suggested that the Scottish government never get stuff wrong, in fact there are a number of things they do and have done that I disagree with, SNP supporter or not, there is no such thing as a perfect government.

As for made up stuff, I honestly cant be arsed to go looking for specific examples, but as a generalisation nobody but nobody can seriously argue with a straight face against the fact that the overwhelming stance of the press in this country is to absolutely look for every negative they can get their hands on with which to bash the Government and the independence movement in general. This is not based on a moral stance to bring politicians to account, this is based on an overwhelming desire to push the political agenda of the papers publishers which is to discredit the SNP and independence movement at every turn and preserve the status quo in this country.

If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence. They criticised the government for not using Scottish steel in the construction, repeating criticism from Labour and Tory politicians, and totally ignoring the fact that there wasn't a single steel producer in Scotland capable of supplying the type of steel construction of the bridge required.

And who can forget the frenzy they got themselves into over that nurse who launched into Nicola Sturgeon on Question time about the disgrace of nurses being 'forced' to use food banks.
They reported that with undisguised delight, when the real question had to be, how the hell can somebody earning way more than what most ordinary people earn in this country be complaining about their pay and saying it takes them to food bank poverty levels? … I defy you to find one single paper who raised that blatantly obvious question. After 36 years in the civil service I still hadn't reached the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse in this country, but I wouldn't have had the brass neck to complain about my pay when I knew fully well that a lot of full time workers earned a hell of a lot less.

When I posted about this on Facebook by the way two people I know, one a qualified and working nurse and one who had been a nurse fully agreed with me.

Since the 2014 referendum there has been no criticism that you would notice of the broken promises … the fact that the Clyde didn't get all of the work that was promised and the absolute irony that the threat they used to frighten EU nationals into voting no has been turned on its head and that no vote has lead them into a situation where they will definitely no longer be living in an EU member country and that that situation was caused by a signatory of the so called 'vow' …………… In a country with a balanced and fair press the people responsible for that state of affairs would have been burned at the stake in print, and yet in the Scottish press there is barely a puff of smoke, especially on the back of the fact that Scotland overwhelmingly voted against 'brexit'

In this Sunday's edition of the Mail on Sunday a whole page is given over to the odious David Mundell to rail against Nicola Sturgeon …. The same guy who said that an EU exit deal like the one just delivered by Theresa May would be a red line for him and lead to his resignation, the same red line by the way which was cited by that darling of the Tory press Ruth Davidson …….. where is the criticism of them for not having the courage of their convictions and resigning over the issue as both had indicated they would?

So much for taking politicians to account, because it isn't just their job to hold government politicians to account, but all politicians surely … no in Scotland it would appear.

I could go on and on and on …… Under this constant relentless bombardment where the opposition is never put under the microscope, for example by asking Ruth Davidson to defend her party's UK policies which are hated by the majority of Scots, its an absolute miracle that the SNP's support has held up the way it has.

The unfair and unbalanced attitude of the press in this country is in my opinion indefensible. I'm aware the National is published by the same group who publish the Herald by the way, its interesting that the papers independence sympathetic Sunday version was binned at the same time … it wouldn't do to have more than one paper helping to redress the massive imbalance I suppose.

Sunday Herald went under because its always modest circulation had slumped to unsustainable levels. Nothing to do with whether or not it backed independence. It was a paper I used to really like when it first launched. It was a vibrant publication, reflective of its youthful staff and established its own identity. By the end, however, it was pretty much reduced to reprinting stories from Saturday's Herald due to the fact that the staff on the Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald had (like the Scotsman, Evening News and Scotland on Sunday) been amalgamated to cut costs. The whole place is run on a shoestring and that was reflected in the sorry Sunday offering they were putting out. Basically not worth buying.

I'm still not convinced about your claim that papers are renowned for 'making up' stories. Granted the tabloids are renowned for sensationalising stories for the sake of a good headline, while the News of the World broke the law in sourcing its stories (and duly paid the price), but unless you buy into the Trump mantra that all news you don't agree with is 'fake' then I'd be very surprised if any of the papers you list have published stories which have zero basis in fact. The problem these days, as I see it, is that with so many people shaping their news agenda around social media it's very easy to gravitate only towards news that tallies with your own viewpoint. This kind of tribalism strips away any sense of objectivity and instead of reasoned debate, things are viewed in a very black and white way (ie right or wrong).

My gripe with Scottish papers is simply that they're not very good and carry a very thin content. I do still enjoy reading papers though, and will as happily read through the Guardian as the Telegraph at a weekend. Their political leanings are clear, but there's much good journalism within their pages and I think it's healthy to read things from different perspectives. However, if a paper's perceived political standpoint is something you can't abide then the solution is simple. Just don't buy it. Fewer and fewer people do these days.

[Smartie]

The Independence referendum WAS damaging for the written press in Scotland. Editors were faced with a choice - which half of your readership do you alienate? At a time when they were on the decline anyway, this put a lot of publications (who normally prefer to take a side rather than remain neutral) under added pressure.

A relative of mine was editor of a Scottish paper at that time, and some of his stories about what happened in the weeks and months leading up to the referendum are very interesting indeed.

The entire industry has been on a sticky wicket since they placed the value of their product in the physical pieces of paper they sold, rather than in the intellectual property. Once they'd gone down the route of giving away news for free, it was going to be a struggle to make money from then on.

I'm only surprised so many papers have lasted as long as they have. It is a shame, I grew up reading the Scotsman cover to cover every day and believe I gained a lot from it, but haven't bought a copy for a couple of decades. And it is funny how it can influence people's views on Independence - my mum and dad still get a copy delivered every day, and my mum is as anti-independence as they come, mainly due (imo) to the tone of what she chooses to read every day.

[Scotty Leither]

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A relative of mine was editor of a Scottish paper at that time, and some of his stories about what happened in the weeks and months leading up to the referendum are very interesting indeed

Care to share even an outline of some of these stories, Smartie?

[The Tubs]

I didn’t know that: tories complaining about a lack of Scottish produced steel. The irony.

[Smartie]

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Care to share even an outline of some of these stories, Smartie?

I'd love to, but I think he's planning on writing a book one day, so I won't steal his thunder by doing so.

[Hi Heid Yin]

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I have never suggested that the Scottish government never get stuff wrong, in fact there are a number of things they do and have done that I disagree with, SNP supporter or not, there is no such thing as a perfect government.

As for made up stuff, I honestly cant be arsed to go looking for specific examples, but as a generalisation nobody but nobody can seriously argue with a straight face against the fact that the overwhelming stance of the press in this country is to absolutely look for every negative they can get their hands on with which to bash the Government and the independence movement in general. This is not based on a moral stance to bring politicians to account, this is based on an overwhelming desire to push the political agenda of the papers publishers which is to discredit the SNP and independence movement at every turn and preserve the status quo in this country.

If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence. They criticised the government for not using Scottish steel in the construction, repeating criticism from Labour and Tory politicians, and totally ignoring the fact that there wasn't a single steel producer in Scotland capable of supplying the type of steel construction of the bridge required.

And who can forget the frenzy they got themselves into over that nurse who launched into Nicola Sturgeon on Question time about the disgrace of nurses being 'forced' to use food banks.
They reported that with undisguised delight, when the real question had to be, how the hell can somebody earning way more than what most ordinary people earn in this country be complaining about their pay and saying it takes them to food bank poverty levels? … I defy you to find one single paper who raised that blatantly obvious question. After 36 years in the civil service I still hadn't reached the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse in this country, but I wouldn't have had the brass neck to complain about my pay when I knew fully well that a lot of full time workers earned a hell of a lot less.

When I posted about this on Facebook by the way two people I know, one a qualified and working nurse and one who had been a nurse fully agreed with me.

Since the 2014 referendum there has been no criticism that you would notice of the broken promises … the fact that the Clyde didn't get all of the work that was promised and the absolute irony that the threat they used to frighten EU nationals into voting no has been turned on its head and that no vote has lead them into a situation where they will definitely no longer be living in an EU member country and that that situation was caused by a signatory of the so called 'vow' …………… In a country with a balanced and fair press the people responsible for that state of affairs would have been burned at the stake in print, and yet in the Scottish press there is barely a puff of smoke, especially on the back of the fact that Scotland overwhelmingly voted against 'brexit'

In this Sunday's edition of the Mail on Sunday a whole page is given over to the odious David Mundell to rail against Nicola Sturgeon …. The same guy who said that an EU exit deal like the one just delivered by Theresa May would be a red line for him and lead to his resignation, the same red line by the way which was cited by that darling of the Tory press Ruth Davidson …….. where is the criticism of them for not having the courage of their convictions and resigning over the issue as both had indicated they would?

So much for taking politicians to account, because it isn't just their job to hold government politicians to account, but all politicians surely … no in Scotland it would appear.

I could go on and on and on …… Under this constant relentless bombardment where the opposition is never put under the microscope, for example by asking Ruth Davidson to defend her party's UK policies which are hated by the majority of Scots, its an absolute miracle that the SNP's support has held up the way it has.

The unfair and unbalanced attitude of the press in this country is in my opinion indefensible. I'm aware the National is published by the same group who publish the Herald by the way, its interesting that the papers independence sympathetic Sunday version was binned at the same time … it wouldn't do to have more than one paper helping to redress the massive imbalance I suppose.

[Iggy Pope]

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I didn’t know that: tories complaining about a lack of Scottish produced steel. The irony.

Scottish Nationalists complaining about Toryism perhaps more ironic indeed.

[cabbageandribs1875]

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I have never suggested that the Scottish government never get stuff wrong, in fact there are a number of things they do and have done that I disagree with, SNP supporter or not, there is no such thing as a perfect government.

As for made up stuff, I honestly cant be arsed to go looking for specific examples, but as a generalisation nobody but nobody can seriously argue with a straight face against the fact that the overwhelming stance of the press in this country is to absolutely look for every negative they can get their hands on with which to bash the Government and the independence movement in general. This is not based on a moral stance to bring politicians to account, this is based on an overwhelming desire to push the political agenda of the papers publishers which is to discredit the SNP and independence movement at every turn and preserve the status quo in this country.

If you want a specific example of that look no further than the Queensferry crossing. In any other country the fact that such a massive project was delivered nearly on time and on budget would have been lauded even if it was through gritted teeth. But not in Scotland, the press criticised a delay in finishing the bridge caused by atrocious weather conditions where working would have put lives at risk, trying to paint it as government incompetence. They criticised the government for not using Scottish steel in the construction, repeating criticism from Labour and Tory politicians, and totally ignoring the fact that there wasn't a single steel producer in Scotland capable of supplying the type of steel construction of the bridge required.

And who can forget the frenzy they got themselves into over that nurse who launched into Nicola Sturgeon on Question time about the disgrace of nurses being 'forced' to use food banks.
They reported that with undisguised delight, when the real question had to be, how the hell can somebody earning way more than what most ordinary people earn in this country be complaining about their pay and saying it takes them to food bank poverty levels? … I defy you to find one single paper who raised that blatantly obvious question. After 36 years in the civil service I still hadn't reached the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse in this country, but I wouldn't have had the brass neck to complain about my pay when I knew fully well that a lot of full time workers earned a hell of a lot less.

When I posted about this on Facebook by the way two people I know, one a qualified and working nurse and one who had been a nurse fully agreed with me.

Since the 2014 referendum there has been no criticism that you would notice of the broken promises … the fact that the Clyde didn't get all of the work that was promised and the absolute irony that the threat they used to frighten EU nationals into voting no has been turned on its head and that no vote has lead them into a situation where they will definitely no longer be living in an EU member country and that that situation was caused by a signatory of the so called 'vow' …………… In a country with a balanced and fair press the people responsible for that state of affairs would have been burned at the stake in print, and yet in the Scottish press there is barely a puff of smoke, especially on the back of the fact that Scotland overwhelmingly voted against 'brexit'

In this Sunday's edition of the Mail on Sunday a whole page is given over to the odious David Mundell to rail against Nicola Sturgeon …. The same guy who said that an EU exit deal like the one just delivered by Theresa May would be a red line for him and lead to his resignation, the same red line by the way which was cited by that darling of the Tory press Ruth Davidson …….. where is the criticism of them for not having the courage of their convictions and resigning over the issue as both had indicated they would?

So much for taking politicians to account, because it isn't just their job to hold government politicians to account, but all politicians surely … no in Scotland it would appear.

I could go on and on and on …… Under this constant relentless bombardment where the opposition is never put under the microscope, for example by asking Ruth Davidson to defend her party's UK policies which are hated by the majority of Scots, its an absolute miracle that the SNP's support has held up the way it has.

The unfair and unbalanced attitude of the press in this country is in my opinion indefensible. I'm aware the National is published by the same group who publish the Herald by the way, its interesting that the papers independence sympathetic Sunday version was binned at the same time … it wouldn't do to have more than one paper helping to redress the massive imbalance I suppose.

a very good read,well said, one of the best/most accurate posts i've read on these topics on here for some time

[PatHead]

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Scottish Nationalists complaining about Toryism perhaps more ironic indeed.

Eh, you trying to say SNP are closet stories?

[Scotty Leither]

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I'd love to, but I think he's planning on writing a book one day, so I won't steal his thunder by doing so.

Fair play, mate.

[Iggy Pope]

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Eh, you trying to say SNP are closet stories?

Maybe just tartan ones? Ssssssshhhh

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Sunday Herald went under because its always modest circulation had slumped to unsustainable levels. Nothing to do with whether or not it backed independence. It was a paper I used to really like when it first launched. It was a vibrant publication, reflective of its youthful staff and established its own identity. By the end, however, it was pretty much reduced to reprinting stories from Saturday's Herald due to the fact that the staff on the Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald had (like the Scotsman, Evening News and Scotland on Sunday) been amalgamated to cut costs. The whole place is run on a shoestring and that was reflected in the sorry Sunday offering they were putting out. Basically not worth buying.

I'm still not convinced about your claim that papers are renowned for 'making up' stories. Granted the tabloids are renowned for sensationalising stories for the sake of a good headline, while the News of the World broke the law in sourcing its stories (and duly paid the price), but unless you buy into the Trump mantra that all news you don't agree with is 'fake' then I'd be very surprised if any of the papers you list have published stories which have zero basis in fact. The problem these days, as I see it, is that with so many people shaping their news agenda around social media it's very easy to gravitate only towards news that tallies with your own viewpoint. This kind of tribalism strips away any sense of objectivity and instead of reasoned debate, things are viewed in a very black and white way (ie right or wrong).

My gripe with Scottish papers is simply that they're not very good and carry a very thin content. I do still enjoy reading papers though, and will as happily read through the Guardian as the Telegraph at a weekend. Their political leanings are clear, but there's much good journalism within their pages and I think it's healthy to read things from different perspectives. However, if a paper's perceived political standpoint is something you can't abide then the solution is simple. Just don't buy it. Fewer and fewer people do these days.

As a matter of fact the only two papers we buy regularly are The Mail on Sunday ( very much my partners choice ) and The National …. I read both avidly because I'm not blinkered enough to just want to see my own point of view reinforced to the exclusion of everything else. But the MOS is just a joke with no saving graces whatsoever … it is nothing but a propaganda sheet masquerading as a newspaper. I understand that all newspapers have a political stance and I have done since I was in my 20s … but the MOS goes way beyond that … if the SNP found a way to make **** into gold the headline would be 'Fury as shameless SNP use Chinese **** to make Scotland the richest country in the world'

Most of the other papers are no better.