THE NATIONAL SHOULD APOLOGISE

My friend and colleague Phil Boswell has been badly misquoted and smeared by the National newspaper, the supposedly pro Independence newspaper.

The newspaper is a fanzine for the NuSNP and it is difficult not to surmise this attack on Phil is kickback because he has recently been a prominent SNP member and former MP who has been prepared to criticise the Party Leadership on the Scottish Prism Show.

Phil Boswell Tweet of 17th Feb 2022

What Craig Meighan @CraigyMeighan writing in the National in Scotland and Ireland on the 18th of Feb wrote in an article Nicola Sturgeon: I don’t have much in common with those who abused BBC’s Sarah Smith | The National

Craig Meighan makes a False Statement taken completely out of context as in Scotland “traitor.” Is generally understood to be to one’s country. Whereas I quite rightly accuse her of betraying a core principle of journalism, that of objectivity.
The BBC Charter sets out its Object, Mission & Purpose including this core purpose;

In my opinion, and those of thousands of others within the Indy movement, Ms Smith has not lived up to this core standard by her actions, a re-watch of the appallingly biased Kirsty Wark programme on the disgraceful stitch up of Alex Salmond on trumped up charges for which, of course, he received full acquittal on all, is all that is required to determine what I said is correct and accurate. Nor do I condone abuse, online or otherwise. However, such a betrayal of the core feature of responsible journalism, promised under Public Charter that we pay for, cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
I have contacted the National but have not heard back yet and unless they contact me soon to resolve this, a formal complaint will be issued to IPSO later today at the same time as I offer this young gentleman, by email, the opportunity to;
1. Withdraw his false statement from the online forums of the National newspaper
2. Apologise in print in next week’s National (Scotland and Ireland).
If he does this, I will consider the matter over and done with and will withdraw my complaint from IPSO.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

BEAT THE CENSORS

Sadly some sites had given up on being pro Indy sites and have decided to become merely pro SNP sites where any criticism of the Party Leader or opposition to the latest policy extremes, results in censorship being applied. This, in the rather over optimistic belief that this will suppress public discussion on such topics. My regular readers have expertly worked out that by regularly sharing articles on this site defeats that censorship and makes it all rather pointless. I really do appreciate such support and free speech in Scotland is remaining unaffected by their juvenile censorship. Indeed it is has become a symptom of weakness and guilt. Quite encouraging really.

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