Scottish independence, SNP MP & Englishman Angus Robertson embarrasses himself on BBC Question Time; David Dimbleby easily dismisses Robertson’s politics of grudge, grievance and malcontent, the sour grapes continue at Holyrood, into a poisonous ‘whine’

Dear All

Did you catch Question Time recently on the BBC?

The audience was made up of young people, some of the questions could have been better, and some of the comments by them showed in some cases, an underdeveloped understanding of the arguments.

The panel chaired as usual by David Dimbleby, its regular host, appearing was George Galloway, Ruth Davidson, Angus Robertson, Anas Sarwar, Lesley Riddoch and Nigel Farage.

During the programme, Englishman Angus Robertson aptly showed how grudge, grievance and malcontent can quickly flare from the SNP ranks.

Despite Question time being a national UK programme; he was terribly unhappy that the programme wasn’t effectively ‘rigged’ or gerrymandered, and this was made by two points. He pointed out he was the only pro indy politician on the panel, and secondly, he muttered some crap about the donside by-election.

The presenter responded clearly on both these objections; and shot Robertson’s arguments down in flames. For the rest of the programme Angus Robertson sounded and looked by a rejected and dejected man. Angus Robertson is something like the indy Campaign Manager of some description, he is one of the reasons that Scottish independence support has collapsed.

Poor Angus Robertson, an Englishman who really doesn’t understand Scots at all.

His greatest act of stupidity on the show was to agree with Alex Salmond about the comments, Salmond made about the Nigel Farage situation when Farage was subject to racism in Edinburgh while on a visit.

It was so oily to be worthy of a special ‘I kiss political arse’ award.

Rather than let sleeping dogs lie thereby not drawing attention to the SNP’s grudge, grievance and malcontent problem, the SNP is also attempting to force a Holyrood vote censuring the BBC's Question Time programme for featuring Nigel Farage and George Galloway.

Nationalist MSP Kenneth Gibson tabled a parliamentary motion objecting to the presence of the UKIP and Respect leaders.

And you have to laugh at the grounds of the objection; his argument is that both Respect and UKIP have no elected representatives in Scotland.

People say that Holyrood is very much the poor relation of Westminster; it is in so many ways, but the lack of talent, the complete disregard for commonsense must feature high up on the list.

One of the running grievances of the SNP leadership is that they can’t get control of the BBC and therefore set an agenda.

Gibson says that the programme failed to reflect political reality north of the Border, given that Question time is a UK programme, such an attitude is entirely without merit .

He argues the Greens and Liberal Democrats should have been represented on the panel and urges the BBC to "reflect on its choice of Question Time guests and their relevance to Scotland".

Gibson said:

"The programme was perfectly properly chaired, and the audience of 16 and 17-year-olds was lively and engaged, but in assembling such an unbalanced and unrepresentative panel, the BBC failed to cover the independence referendum properly. The panel included representatives of two parties which advocate a No vote – UKIP and Respect – which don't have any representation in Scotland at any level. Yet it did not include the Scottish Green Party, which supports independence, has both MSPs and councillors, and would have helped deliver a more balanced panel."

A spokesman for Mr. Galloway, who is MP for Bradford West, said:

"This is desperately parochial and rather pathetic by the SNP. Are they saying that only people who are geographically based in Scotland are allowed to comment? George was instrumental in the campaign for a Scottish parliament."

This latest attempt to put pressure on the BBC will fail, and using the Scottish Parliament in this matter is ridiculous and extremely petty. Kenny Gibson, who I have met, isn’t remarkable by any means. During FMQs he can sometimes be seen sitting behind Salmond nodding like a faithful little dog and banging the table. He is what I regard as a ‘shouter’ who likes to talk over people.

There are times when the SNP should sit on their ‘zoo’ and tell them to keep their mouths firmly shut, the fact they appear to be letting this motion go through for their political advantage will backfire on them.

Sometimes it is better to keep quiet than cry wolf, Alex Salmond's 'Soldiers of Salmond' are increasingly looking rather unremarkable to us mere mortals.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University