Talking-up Scotland

Last night, Reporting Scotland got the new year off as they no doubt intend to continue, with a fine example of bias by omission, well-crafted to conceal the role of Conservative, Labour and Lab/Lib governments in the awful contaminated blood scandal of the 70s, 80s, 90s and naughties, and, if enough viewers were ‘unawoke’, to contaminate the SNP with some unattributable blood splatter patterns.

Here’s the actual report:

‘Scottish ministers were told in 2003 that the UK Health Department was investigating a claim that contaminated blood was being knowingly supplied. Newly released files show that the then Health Minister, Malcom Chisholm, informed the Scottish Executive of the allegation. Thousands of people were given blood products infected with Hepatitis and HIV in the 1970s and 1980s, but the allegation referred to by Mr Chisholm was made after the system was overhauled.

It’s an horrific and damning indictment. If only we knew who was responsible. That Chisholm guy seems to have done his bit.

Taking only a minute or two more, here’s how, in images and narrative, presenter Graham Stewart might have fulfilled the BBC’s obligation to inform:

‘Scottish ministers, in the Labour/Liberal coalition Scottish Government, were told in 2003 that the UK Health Department, in the Labour Government of Tony Blair, was investigating a claim that contaminated blood was being knowingly supplied. Newly released files show that the then Scottish Health Minister, Malcom Chisholm (Labour), informed the Scottish Executive, led by Jack MacConnell (Labour), of the allegation. Thousands of people were given blood products infected with Hepatitis and HIV in the 1970s and 1980s, under both Labour and Conservative governments, but the allegation referred to by Mr Chisholm (Labour) was made after the system was overhauled by the ?? government in ??’

Now, I know, I’ve pushed it a bit there, but the report given by BBC Scotland was completely devoid of any possible links back to the Labour or Conservative administrations which were clearly responsible for all of these shameful events.

Back in the day, I could have sent some eager students out, with the Stewart clip on their tablets, to ask folk which party should be blamed for this. Which party would’ve got the most ticks?

The BBC Scotland website has plenty space to for the undiluted bloody truth but, despite Reporting Scotland headlining it, had no space for it, preferring ‘ScotRail rip-off!’ I can’t bear to listen to Radio Gaga Morning Scotland. Some plucky reader will tell us.

Some weeks ago, Graham Stewart engaged with me on Twitter, indignantly defending Reporting Scotland. Will he want to try to wash their hands of bloodstains on this one?

‘We didn’t say the SNP were actually to blame!’

‘Prof thinks the viewers are thick!’