As we all recall, the BBC seemed to have a strategy in the immediate aftermath of the independence referendum for preventing a narrative from taking hold that the vote had in any sense been a close run thing that could have gone either way. Basically the strategy consisted of using the word "decisive" as much as humanly possible. Almost every BBC report slipped in the word, often rather gratuitously. We had not merely "rejected independence", we had done so "decisively". The result of the referendum was, of course, No 55.3%, Yes 44.7%.
In view of which, I was somewhat bemused to read an article on the BBC website today explaining how a second indyref might come about, and in particular the role of the Scottish Parliament, where we're told "the SNP and Scottish Greens form a small pro-independence majority".
"Small"? Hmmm. Excluding the Presiding Officer, who is politically neutral and only votes when there is a tie (and even then is expected to do so in line with convention rather than his own views), there are 128 seats in the Scottish Parliament. 69 of them are held by pro-independence parties and 59 by anti-independence parties. In percentage terms, that works out as 53.9% for pro-independence parties, and 46.1% for anti-independence parties.
Now, admittedly, 53.9% is a smaller number than 55.3%, so this use of language doesn't directly contradict the notion that the No vote in 2014 was "decisive". Nevertheless, if there is any grey area at all between "small" and "decisive" in BBC arithmetic, it appears to be very narrow - the boundary between the two terms seems to fall somewhere between 54.0% and 55.2%.
Useful to know for future reference.
James the best way I have consoled myself after that Indie Ref was that the ratio was 11 to 9. 1 person of the 11 changes side and it is a dead heat.
ReplyDeleteThat is not going to happen the other way round at Holyrood.
We are about there now. I can feel it on my waters
Try not pissin yer trossers then. I hope you Nat si English hating scum go for a referendum. Make it next week please and be trashed by an even larger majority.
DeleteThe Britnat si panic and fear clearly shows in gwc2's pathetic attempts to make any sense!
DeleteMedicine time wee man....
The bbc is now openly and unashamedly british nationalist when reporting on all Scottish matters. Don't pay the bbc tax. Let britnats pay for britnat propaganda.
ReplyDeletePS. Here's a quote to remember from Ruth Davidson:
“You don’t get a referendum for free, you have to earn it. So if the Greens and the SNP – and the SSP or any of the other parties who’ve declared an interest in independence – get over the line and can make a coalition, make a majority, get the votes in the Parliament, then they’ll vote through a referendum, and that’s what democracy’s all about… it’s perfectly simple”
Thanks to wings for that. Use it as much as you can.
BBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation. Not Scottish Nat si ism.
DeleteGood to know you agree the bbc is a british nationalist organization.
DeleteWhere have you been all your life! Clearly premature evacuation fron the womb has had some effect on yer brain. Narrowed!
DeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteSTV aren't much better sometimes.
ReplyDeleteOn one report regarding RT they went to some trouble to point out that is was the Russian state sponsored broadcaster....boo
Never hear them calling the BBC the British state sponsored broadcaster.
Strange that.
I am amazed that some folk still trust any British Media.
ReplyDeleteIt's like a football match where one side has the referee, the linesmen and 5 of the 11 players in their pocket, and also write the match report.
When will the sleep walkers wake up?
Hello again my dickie old chums!
ReplyDeleteIt's been an interesting, if predictable, couple of weeks.
Firstly, Strugglin gives a 'non committal commitment' to indyref2, to secure the adoration of the flock (I really do wish the sheep had just stuck to religion).
Secondly, the draft bill reveals what we unionists have been saying all along - which is that the Scottish Government requires the agreement of the UK Government to hold a referendum. Well blow me sideways!
But the best bit is this - the SNP has about a year at most to hold and win a referendum if they are to avoid a Scottish exit from the EU. I wonder what the odds are on a referendum being sought, agreed to, held and a yes vote delivered by end of 2017? Not very good, I would expect.
I should also mention that I covered a parrot in beef gravy, stuck it up my arse and got my famished pit-bull terrier to go at it.
DeleteIt's demented squawking coupled with my trusty canine savaging my dilated anus made me cum so hard I passed out.
Goodbye, my dickie old chums!
Aldo
I don't suppose anyone is going to faint with amazement at learning this, but Aldo is lying through his teeth again. No, the draft bill does not "reveal" that the Scottish Government "requires" the agreement of the UK Government to hold a referendum. It simply states that the Scottish Government will seek a Section 30 order, and will expect it to be granted. It also notes that the Section 30 order for the 2014 referendum simply put the legality of the vote "beyond doubt" - the clear implication being that it may well be possible to hold a consultative referendum even if Westminster are stupid enough to try to stand in the way.
DeleteHowever, a small consolation for Aldo may be that (doubtless by complete accident) his predictions are becoming fractionally less atrocious. I think he's probably right that there won't be a referendum by the end of 2017 - I expect it to take place in 2018 or early 2019.
Anon.
DeleteYour turn of phrase reminds me of an old chumrade in the piano bar...
"No well in the heid",is a phrase that came to mind when I read your"comment" hope you get better(read) soon.
DeleteAldo,
Deleteodds for 2017 are 16/1.... but I was only allowed a maximum bet of £58 :-( I don't think they really want folks money for some reason.
What would a Scottish Nat si broadcast sound like. The English are tae blame fur everything since before Scotland and England were invented. And England is to blame for Scottish failure before Scotland was invented.
ReplyDeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteEngland is quite a modern invention not much older than the British state,but you wont know about these things,because it might upset your bias.
DeleteJames, this just does not make sense.
ReplyDeleteThe Brexit vote at 51.9% was also decisive. You will have to drop your decisiveness expectations accordingly?
Little Joe says Hoss is right.
DeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteCandy Gram fur Mongel. BOOM. Eat yer beans.
DeleteWould the snivelling Britnat si care to repeat that, in English this time?
DeleteHiv a gander at Blazing Saddles.
DeleteMongo
Deletevery nearly a Freudian slip there
Bodes well for indyref2.
ReplyDeleteYes will be well over the 52% mark after a couple years of brexit mayhem.
Just need to wait patiently...
Hoss could never pull a burd he ironed his trossers over a barrel.
DeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteNice to get some points pointed out when we sometimes don't think about them,thanks James.Some of the commentators that visit here don't like items of truth pointed out to them it spoils their bias and upsets them even more than they already are.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is Scots voted no to ending the Union and the British voted to leave the EU. You Nat sis have a problem accepting democracy and are moving towards fascism.
DeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteOn timing of Indyref2? Surely to benefit Europe's negotiators, Scotland becoming independent would have to come as early as possible during the article 50 two year negotiation period?
ReplyDeleteWould it not make sense and be completely legitimate for Europe's Brexit team to say to Scotland 'we recognise your decisive vote to remain as European citizens and would be happy to have you remain as full members of the EU in place of the exiting rUK BUT in order to avoid your current UK government negotiating you out of the the EU as part of their article 50 negotiation strategy we will need know your position re independence by the end of 2017'
For example, much is being made of how much more the EU market 'needs' the UK than the UK needs the EU. If Scotland's market (which I believe is one of England's largest trading partners) were to suddenly be added to the EU side of the trading equation I am sure this would certainly strengthen the EU negotiators hand. Same for fishing, energy, life sciences etc.etc.
In fact, if those Brexit negotiations were carried out by the UK on our behalf and then we vote to remain within the EU at the last minute surely a great deal of those rUK negotiations would become null and void.
It also changes completely the argument from Indyref1 that England is Scotland's largest market but Scotland is only England's (from memory) 3rd largest market. So Scotland must somehow fear England come Independence. Scotland's market (as part of the EU) may well be England's largest trading market. Can't wait to sell that on the doorstep :-)
I think that one of the major differences between Indyref1 & 2 is that we now have a very, very large third party involved with legitimate self interests in the timing and result of any Indyref2 decision. This is why I think it could be entirely possible to have a stream of European leaders serenading Scotland from the steps of Bute House very soon after Theresa May hits the button on Article 50. Until then UK is still a full member state whose interests have to be considered. After Article 50 they are opponents that need to be negotiated against! This is why Theresa May tried so hard last night to underline the UK's status as full active members throughout the coming two year article 50 process (and why it was received so badly by the 27 remaining members).
braco
The joke Nat sis are demented now and the polls not shifting. The pariah Nat sis in Westminster have lost the plot, bleeding the system and probably night clubbing and trolling around Hampstead Heath after twilight to pass away the taxpayers time.
DeleteEat your cereal.
DeleteGwc - tick tock. I can feel the seethe build inside you on a daily basis .
ReplyDeleteYour union is in its death throes. Tick tock.