11/21/2006

When will the SNP stop being apologists for racism against the English ?

Reading the Digital Spy website that reports on a range of TV related stories, I happened across this intersting piece regarding a Newnight investigation in to Scottish football violence. Read it HERE.

It appears the BBC left a van with a flag of St George on it in part of Glasgow, and filmed as it was attacked by Scottish fans. What is the SNP's response to this ? They want to BBC investigated. No condemnation of the people doing this, just condemnation of the BBC.

The SNP are just apologists for racism towards English people. When will they start condmening those who do the attacks rather than those who expose the attackers ?

14 comments:

Liam Murray said...

The short answer Nich is never.

I live and work in Scotland and I'm continually appalled at how otherwise rational intelligent people construct these elaborate justifications for their prejudice against the English. Most genuinely believe they're not espousing anything like racism and usually resort to some p*** poor excuse about bias in the media etc.

It's just a depressing fact about Scottish public life and one that the SNP shamelessly feed on politically. What's more, indications are that they'll put in a very strong showing next May in the Holyrood elections. God help us...

p.s. I think the experiment with the van and a St George's cross on it took place during the summer when the World Cup was on...

Anonymous said...

It's no different to the constant justification of racism against white people by all and sundry.

Anonymous said...

Racism this is not - what is racism is the way that so called British media (aka the Beeb) only gives us here in Scotland the English perspective. How would people in England feel if all they recieved from thier government and national institutions was a Welsh or Scottish perspective? And given that this was during the world cup, when English cultural imperialism was at its worst, does not a news story make.

Anonymous said...

I find the idea that the SNP is anti-English or racist in someway utterly absurd. Are the Irish racist because they wanted their own country or the Norwegians.

If you look closer you might see that it is the Labour and Lib Dem government who have introduced extra fees for English and Welsh students to study in Scotland, while the SNP wanted them to pay no more than Scottish students do. In fact want education to be free.

The SNP is a multi-cultural party that is not about England or the English but about what's best for Scotland. The party doesn't just welcome the English to Scotland it welcomes people from all over the world who choose to make their home here or even just to visit.

It might surprise you, but there are even a fair few English people in the SNP.

Anonymous said...

I think the point is here that whatever the SNP stands for, it's first reaction here is to blame the BBC rather than condemn Scottish fans being violent towards the English.

Judge people by their actions, and in this case, their actions say that opposiing Scottish racism against the English is not what the SNP will do.

Anonymous said...

Change the record, mate. I think you'll find that the SNP condemned unreservedly the (very low but still too many) number of attacks which took place. See the Kenny MacAskill quote at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/5101184.stm if you don't believe me.

I'm still waiting to hear similar condemnation of the English louts who trashed a house belonging to a Portuguese family in Carlisle from any English political leader. Perhaps you can lead the way?

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=434229

Anonymous said...

I rarely disagree with what you say, Nich. Your comments on the BNP, sorry SNP, are spot on! Perhaps you should *consider* joining the Conservatives? I doubt many Lib Dems share your views on such matters...

Anonymous said...

The blogger's piece is an outrageous smear on the SNP. As a response pointed out the SNP has been at the forefront in condemning anti-Englishness or indeed any racism. Hey but lets not let the truth get in the way of a good smear.

But it really takes the biscuit for someone whose party is comtemplating pacts with the BNP http://www.halifaxtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=700&ArticleID=1818212

or has indulge in racist campigns inrecent years to come up with such lies, but I suppose its par for the course from the Lib Dems these days.
http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/sr168/nineham.htm

Nich Starling said...

Firstly, there is no pact between the Lib Dems and the BNP. To suggest it belittles your arguments and makes them all worthless.

As for the attacks on Portugese, it has happened here in Norfolk and it was condemned by all the local political parties. The local parties didn't look for a scapegoat as the SNP did in this case.

I'm pleased you read the blog justin, although not so sure that I am so pleased you rarely disagree with me. We have actually met once, believe it or not. We also have at least one mutual friend. Do you still know David Allen ?

Anonymous said...

The SNP has a history of fermenting and encouraging racism against the english and then standing back and saying "nothing to do with us mate"

Tartan Hero said...

Firstly, this press release was in in response to a report that the prosecution service is taking action against the BBC. When the BBC initially reported on the incident, the SNP condemned teh violence just as it has done at every other opportunity.

However, when will you English nationalists get to grips with what racism means? You are not a race. Neither are the Scots. What you refer to is closer to sectarianism. So before you preach to everyone else, get your terminology right. Otherwise you do a real dis-service to the many working hard to combat real racism, not nationalistic rivalry.

And I suppose you dont mind BBC licence fees being used as 'agent provocateurs' to incite crime?

Nich Starling said...

What you do highlight is that there are very blurred lines between nationalism, sectarianism and racism.

But I thank you for clarifying matters and widening the debate.

Anonymous said...

Raicism isn;t just one sided and no doubt you probably think this petty but ridicule and name calling against people from different parts of the kingdom is wrong and racist regardless of the subject. Why not pop over to Digital Spy XFActor forum and look at the ridicule heaped on the Scots people..........all becuase a good few of them support someone from Scotland......was different when the Scots people were voting for English contestant all the other years..nothing said about that but this year its been appalling "the stupid Scottish people voting" is just one of many.
So get of your high horse about the SNP..in all my voting years I have been a Labour supporter and SNP I have bypassed as I preferred to be a united kingdom.............in the Guardian the other day Charlie Brooker insulted the Scottish people so many times publicly i nthe stupid pompous paper that I changed my mind and I want us to seperate from the likes of people like Charlie Brooker............so go look at the racism fro mthe English towards the Scots before shouting your mouth off at SNP!

Nich Starling said...

I have to say that voting for somone in a telent show, note the word "TALENT" shows, is rather idiotic in itself. If it were a geography show, then yes, but Scots simply voting for one act becaues they are scottish is quite sad.

Also, saying you changed your voting habits because of what a Guardian journalist says, well, need I say more ?

Pages