Thursday, February 26, 2015

I've heard of the zealotry of a convert, but this is ridiculous

You might remember a chap called Alex Massie, who took part in a high-profile TV debate last year on the specific basis that he was an "undecided voter" in the referendum, and that he was entirely open-minded on whether or not Scotland should become an independent country.  Can that possibly be the same Alex Massie who has just used the following colourful language in a Spectator article?

"If Miliband genuinely wants Britain to stay together, why even consider joining forces with a party whose central aim is to tear Britain apart?"

"the SNP is the enemy"

"A nationalist victory, by contrast, risks a second independence referendum which might break the Union forever."

"This is why so many Scottish unionists will vote tactically in May: it is crucial that the nationalists’ momentum is checked now."

"It is depressing that so many English Tories are plainly more exercised by ‘threats’ from Brussels than from Edinburgh."

"So unionists are entitled to feel a deep and heavy sense of foreboding. This election is going to be a disaster."


Now, I have no problem at all with someone who opposes independence with every fibre of their being (to use the Cameron drama queen line), who thinks that stopping independence should take priority over absolutely everything else, and who believes that a failure to stop independence would be a "disaster". But I have to say that I do find it fantastically improbable that such a person would have been open to voting in favour of independence only a few months ago, as Alex Massie claimed to be.

It was all a very elaborate stunt, building up to his pre-planned "shock confession" just before polling day that he'd mulled things over and had decided to vote No. What baffles me is why he hasn't been well and truly nailed for such appalling cynicism and mendacity.

* * *

Well, we now know the identity of one of the constituencies that will be covered by Ashcroft's second batch of Scottish polls - a poster on the previous thread was interviewed yesterday, and lives in Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath. Feel free to let us know if you get a call in any other constituency - the polling firm will probably identify themselves as Populus.

22 comments:

  1. Alex Massie has always been known as a Conservative and a Unionist. If he had ever been claiming to be undecided, I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of people who read his work knew that this wasn't true.
    By the by, it's actually a good article by him today.

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely - the vast majority of people who read his work knew he was taking part in that TV debate under false pretences. But unfortunately, the majority of people who saw that debate do not read his work, and therefore didn't realise they were being misled.

      Why did he pull the stunt? Possibly to get a hearing for his anti-independence views from people who would take less notice of someone who is openly partisan.

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    2. He also "done for" Johan Lamont on Andrew Neil's show, live.

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  2. Also saw a tweet today saying East Ren was one, which will be interesting

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  3. Anyone seen this?

    OMG

    (apologies for linking to the mail, but this is worth it).

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2970162/Take-break-like-break-Danny-Alexander-pins-election-chances-toe-curling-garish-pamphlet-including-recipe-sausage-butternut-squash-stew.html

    Take a break? More like give us a break... Danny Alexander pins his election chances on toe-curling garish pamphlet including his own recipe for 'sausage and butternut squash stew'

    What's next, maybe a duet with Barrowman or door knocking in a see you jimmy hat?

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    Replies
    1. Was his pamphlet edged in pink bows?

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    2. That looks truly terrible. I reckon he's aiming for a "People's Friend" look.

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    3. I'm no fan of Beaker but one of the Mail's broadsides is that the recipe requires finely chopped onion but coarsely chopped squash as though this is some terrible inconsistency instead of standard cooking technique. Bizarre, unless the Mail reckons it's readership never eats anything more adventurous than an M&S meal deal and thinks placing a heat 'em up in the oven is cooking.

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  4. I got dannys lib den info in the post the other day its like a little newspaper, full of puke inducing garbage. Danny is in a stew for sure. On the back page it says. Its Danny or the nationalists- Charles Kennedy backs Danny to win, good grief what has Charlie been drinking.

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  5. East Ren is in. Got a call yesterday. In Neilston, the "labour" wing of the constituency

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    Replies
    1. Not so sure Neilston's quite so Labour any more! :)

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  6. 1. There is a commenter on UK Polling Report who lives in Ross, Skye, etc. who says he has been polled by Populus - sounded very much like Ashcroft.

    2. I thought the biggest clue to Alex Massie's political allegiance in the article was where he partially revealed Tory canvassing in the Borders. He lives in Selkirk, so it may be reasonable to surmise he has inside knowledge of it. He said that the Tory canvassing had SNP support increasing in the (most of) Borders seat from <10% (9.2% to be precise) in 2010 to "triple" that now. That probably wouldn't be enough to win there but it would be close. And bearing in mind that is *Tory* canvassing...

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  7. Hi James,

    I've just completed a YouGov poll where they've asked the constituency question and confirmed my postcode, they also confirmed my voting at the EU2014.Nothing about 2010 or 2011.

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  8. James,

    Today, I have come to realise that 'fantastically improbable' can, in fact, be an understatement.....

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  9. I was polled four or five days ago in the Ross, Skye & Lochaber constituency by populous. They asked about 2010 voting, and some general questions about satisfaction with Cameron and preference for coalitions etc. Basically the exact same questions as the Kirkcaldy poster in the previous post.

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  10. According to Mike Smithson on twitter:

    SNP extend lead over LAB in Scotland to 16% according to new TNS poll.
    SNP 46+5
    LAB 30-1
    CON 14-2
    LD 3-1
    GRN 3-3
    UKIP 3+1

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  11. SS

    I didn't read it.It went straight into the bin.

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  12. Nailing Massie is a speciality of we ourselves.

    http://www.weourselves.com/alex-massie-uncle-toms-it/

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  13. I distinctly remember Massie saying on Twitter "but we won" in reference to the Referendum. For someone who apparently only decided to vote No on the day, he was surely quick to ingratiate himself as part of a group, rather than simply making a dispassionate cross on a ballot.

    I was present at the Greenock "Big Debate." Aye, he was as undecided as David Torrance...

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  14. Live in Kirkcaldy (Brown's constituency). Got polled by Populous Thursday 26th.

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