You and I go back a long way … some of my earliest memories involve me watching you, sitting on my mother’s knee with her explaining to me what was going on in the world. You developed my thirst for knowledge. A thirst which has lasted until now and remains a cornerstone of my life.
You were like an old friend, coming to my house to tell me what was going on “out there” and making sure I was up to date with everything. You’re Scottish too, so you understood me. You believed in what I believed in. You were “wan o’ Jock Tamson’s weans” just like me … Or so I thought.
You don’t seem to like the SNP much. Why? I thought we were in this together, and not in the weird way of George Osborne, where we’ll all in this together to save the collective skins of the banking fraternity. You’re Scottish too, surely we Scots understand what it is that makes every one of us a proud Scot? Surely we both understand what drives Scotland as a nation and we both want what’s best for Scotland? I mean, what’s actually best for this nation we love. Not what we’re told is best for us.
So what gives?
I confess to feeling betrayed by you, Reporting Scotland. Let me tell you why. You claim to be impartial politically, and have no leanings whatsoever. You represent us – all of us, whatever our beliefs and values.
However just the other day I watched a piece about the SNP wanting a second term. Did you just report the facts impartially? No. You brought up polls which apparently tell us Labour is ahead. Where are these polls? Show me them, please, then we’ll talk. You’re keeping things from me, hiding things, being secretive. Why? I thought we trusted each other. I have to say, this is not helping Scotland feel good about herself as a nation either.
And apparently “opponents” will bring up “failures in education”. Our education system seems to be fine, thanks. Care to elaborate on the point you’re trying to make? Just who are these mysterious “opponents”? See, how am I meant to make informed decisions if you don’t give me all the facts? That’s just not fair.
Maybe our “opponents” are lurking in dark corners devising “polls”. Who knows? Our national news programme didn’t tell us.
And that’s only one example. There are plenty of other instances where Auntie Beeb has pulled the same sort of stunt. Nicola Sturgeon in Glasgow raising a question about Scotland on a programme called Question Time that was broadcast from Glasgow? Perish the thought!
SNP Transport Secretary Stewart Stevenson being essentially witch-hunted out of office by Reporting Scotland reporters and interviewers for what? Not controlling the weather, apparently.
I’m beginning to wonder whose side you’re on here.
In fact, no, I know whose side you’re on. You’re on the Unionist side – more than prepared to do down the country to claim to represent, to keep us subjugated and constrained by London? Why, I ask? I don’t get it.
But most of all – I feel betrayed. I thought I knew you and could trust you to act in my best interests.
Turns out I was wrong, and to be honest I feel a bit lost. And hurt.