As The Times reports, just three sarcastic words from the BBC's Political Editor sparked off a right stooshie on t'Twitter the other day. Here is an ITBB transcript of the origin (for your edification):
Laura Kuenssberg: No 10 claims chances of no deal go up if Letwin passes - 'the govt will step up no deal preparations immediately as the risks will have increased substantially - if Letwin defeated + deal approved, no deal preparations will start being turned off immediately'.
Nicola Sturgeon: (commenting on the content of Laura K's tweet) The dishonesty of this is breathtaking. The Letwin amendment is a protection against the risk of no deal at this stage.
Laura Kuenssberg: (in response to Nicola Sturgeon) Right on cue!
Val McDermid: I used to respect you Laura Kuenssberg. Insulting a politician for doing their job, however, reduces that respect to shreds. #Lost Credibility.
Muriel Gray: (in response to Val McDermid) Mocking politicians of all and every party instead of beatifying them used to be the norm in Scotland. We were rather good at it. The bedrock of Scots humour. Not sure I even recognise this ‘worship the great leader or else’ thing. It’s so not ...Scottish.
Val McDermid: She's paid to report, not to deride. If she were even-handed in her 'commentary' I would have no complaint. Don't you dare accuse me of blind worship, Muriel. You should know better than that.
Muriel Gray: Well that was a very loud dog whistle indeed Val. I’m so used to abuse from the usual sources when I dare discuss politics that I’m numb to it. But while I mute this conversation now and go and do something nice please enjoy the comments below and see if they make you proud. X
Anndra: (in response to Muriel Gray) But not all politicians are mocked and furthermore Sturgeon receives death threats and abuse, a figure of hatred. I don’t think she’s ever done anything to justify the hatred she receives. Isn’t Laura K too comfortable in mocking Sturgeon compared to other politicians?
Muriel Gray: (in respone to Anndra) Not a journalist's job to mock I agree. And absolutely nobody’s place to abuse. But we’ve lost something I always cherished in Scotland. Our communal raised eyebrow and witty scepticism of the whole political system. God help you if you don’t revere one ‘side’ or t’other.
My money's on Val - she looks like she could take down all four of them.
ReplyDeleteMuriel's post is wrong. Scotland is a one party state. So you have to revere the Great Leader's side or you are an Anti-Scottish element - that's why to the SNP the one million plus leavers in Scotland are of no account and don't need to be given any sort of "compromise", in contradiction of what Remainers advise when its the other way round.
Sturgeon was at fault here tweeting ambiguously (was it No 10 or Laura) who was being dishonest?).