Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Sign the petition : the broadcasters MUST give David Coburn and UKIP a fair chance to speak on behalf of the No campaign

I've never started a petition before, but when I think of what a democratic outrage it would be if the BBC and STV don't ensure that "Scotland's newest political force" is fairly represented within the No campaign's allotted 50% of broadcast time between now and September...well, I struggle to contain my fury, quite frankly.  I'm sure Labour's Margaret Curran will sign the petition even if no-one else does, because by all accounts she kept whispering "yes!" every time she saw a pile of UKIP votes at the count, so she seems to be particularly keen on having the delightful David Coburn speak on her campaign's behalf on a regular basis.

We demand that the broadcasters give UKIP a fair chance to speak on behalf of the No campaign

Until now, broadcasters such as the BBC and STV have rarely permitted UKIP to make the case for the anti-independence campaign. This is clearly now an unsustainable state of affairs given that 17% of the votes cast for anti-independence parties in the European elections went to UKIP, who now hold one of Scotland's six seats in the European Parliament. We call upon the broadcasters to ensure that the full range, breadth, depth, diversity and complexity of anti-independence opinion in Scotland is appropriately represented in future, and specifically that where there is a head-to-head debate between Yes and No, the "Better Together" representative is replaced on approximately one-fifth of occasions by David Coburn, Nigel Farage, or ideally Lord Monckton.

Click HERE to sign the petition.

15 comments:

  1. Hmmm, seven people have signed so far but the signature counter is stuck at 1. Hopefully it will update eventually.

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  2. Has Mags signed?

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  3. No, but Johann has by the look of things!

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  4. It is now showing both nil and 10 now James.

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  5. I still haven't had my confirmation email....

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  6. Yes, I probably should have read some reviews of petitions sites before making my choice. The counter is now showing 10 even though 21 people have signed, so it's probably just a bit sluggish.

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  7. In the absence of the Prime Minister, why shouldn't Mr Salmond debate Scottish independence with Mr Farage live on 'national' tv?

    Mr Farage has already declared his willingness to 'fight Salmond for the Union'. He has now also had a 'significant electoral break through' in UKIP representation for Scotland. I think the UKIP vision of our future 'Union' should definitely be heard before we cast our 'irrevocable' vote in September.

    https://twitter.com/hugorifkind/status/471050598033657856/photo/1

    I also believe, now Ms Lamont has compared the SNP directly with UKIP, (in her call for 'all progressive parties to join forces against UKIP and the SNP'), that it would be instructive for the voting public to assess, through a debate, just how similar the two parties visions of a future Scotland actually are.

    Plus, it would make great TV that would be popular throughout the UK and possibly enliven, what has been reported by the media as 'a rather dull (if bitter) referendum campaign' up until now.

    If Mr Cameron is, as he says he is, willing to debate Mr Farage come the UK election (as the deputy Prime Minister has indeed already done), why should the First Minister similarly, not now 'cross swords' with this pivotally important UK politician, over the historic question: 'Scotland and her place in our Union?'

    Did I mention that it would make great TV?

    braco

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  8. I presume Mr Salmond is being careful at this stage not to agree to a debate with anyone other than David Cameron, so as not to let the PM off the hook. But I'd imagine Nicola Sturgeon would be very happy to do a Scotland Tonight debate with Mr Farage or Mr Coburn...

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  9. I think Mr Farage would be as effective (for the YES campaign) as a Salmond vs Cameron debate.

    In the absence of the PM showing, I think the FM should drop down a weight division and arrange the bout the punters want to see and that would guarantee massive media coverage.

    In the absence of prime ministerial weight, lets go for red top spectacle!

    Fight, fight, fight...

    braco

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  10. "lets go for red top spectacle!"

    You shall have it soon enough braco, soon enough indeed.

    As the incompetent fop Cameron used to sign off his text messages to Rebekah Brooks..

    Lots of Love

    LOL

    Not that long to wait now. :)

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  11. Mick Pork,
    When, when, when...

    LOL
    (and LOL too)

    braco

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  12. The end is beginning to hove into view. Expect things to reach their 'climax' sometime in June.

    :)

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  13. Mick Pork,
    you've gone and got me excited now! I will have to re brace myself for disappointment.

    braco

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  14. I've been following it extremely closely, braco. Having done so and read some of the jawdropping testimony I would be staggered if you ended up completely disappointed, shall we say. However, nothing is ever certain regarding these type of matters, so we shall of course have to wait and see.

    Nor, might I add, do things end there. Oh no. Yet more is on the way which has to wait on this concluding before proceeding.

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  15. OT, but just completed an online YouGov survey which, in addition to asking who I would vote for in a Westminster and Holyrood election, as well as my reading habits regarding various newspapers and how "Scottish" I consider each of them to be, asked for my voting intentions in the referendum. No surprises, but it's the usual "if there was a referendum TOMORROW" affair:

    "If there was a referendum tomorrow on Scotland's future and this was the question, how would you vote?

    Should Scotland be an independent country?"

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