SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell is ‘fast off the blocks’ shit stirring as SNP accuse BBC of snub to Scots as jobs on Edinburgh Fringe to be based in London, SNP playing the ‘race card’ more and more as indy support collapses, bankrupt petty politics

Dear All

Playing the ‘race card’, it seems that we are seeing more and more claims of bias coming from the Scottish National Party against the BBC.

Recently a Holyrood Committee said it was going to “monitor” the corporation because it was unhappy about coverage in Scotland, despite the fact that broadcasting is a reserved issue.

And who can forget SNP MP Angus Robertson playing the ‘race card’ when he said that unionists thought Scots were “uniquely poor”, “stupid” and “incapable” of self-government.

If Robertson thought that would stir national emotion, he got that concept entirely wrong, at the time I said:

“A rather poor attempt at spinning much like a 16 year old male tugging at his first set of female panties”!

In continuing what appears to be the SNP of the last 30 years of grudge, grievance and malcontent, the SNP is up in arms because the BBC has advertised several posts at its "home of the BBC" at this year’s Fringe in Edinburgh.

The event will provide live and recorded shows as well as "interactive experiences" and "masterclasses" for the public.

The upshot of the complaint is that successful applicants will be based in London for the majority of the three-month contracts.

Did the Alex Salmond and the SNP run with the proposition that we are operating in a global economy?

Oh yes, they did, and we should remember the SNP isn’t fighting for Scottish jobs for Scottish workers.

Get that idea right out of your head!

The decision by the BBC has been branded "ludicrous" by Stewart Maxwell MSP, convenor of Holyrood's Culture Committee.

Mr Maxwell said:

"Recruiting extra staff in London to cover the Edinburgh Fringe, while cutting jobs in Scotland, is an absolutely ludicrous decision from the BBC and is exactly the kind of problem that the Education and Culture committee has been warning about. BBC Scotland need to be able to cover major events that take place in Scotland and there are serious questions about their ability to do so in the wake of the cuts they have had to endure. There can be no justification for a decision to increase jobs in London to cover Scottish events while cutting jobs in Scotland."

Anyone can apply for these jobs; the fact that they are based in London although it appears unfortunate is no different than anyone else who has travelled for work.

Some BBC Scotland staff are also said to be unhappy, this is due to cuts, however they should be mindful of getting sucked into the SNP’s game of spreading malcontent, the SNP aren’t standing up for Scotland.

Because their leaders have already said that their “nationalism” isn’t based on identity.

A BBC Scotland spokesman said:

"These three-month contracts are specifically to work on BBC At The Edinburgh Festivals, a major live event that includes the transmission of many BBC network and local radio programmes from Edinburgh. Successful applicants would work in London for the early part of the contract as that is where the production teams for the network programmes are based. These vacancies are open to applicants from across the UK."

These vacancies are open to applicants from across the UK is the important point to remember, and we should also remember that the SNP aren’t fighting for Scottish jobs for Scottish workers.

They are just trying to sow the seeds of discontent as they try to garner support for breaking up the UK.

It is really getting terribly pathetic in the SNP ranks if this is what passes for strategy!

Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon standing up for Scotland?

I don’t think so and neither does a vast section of the public.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University