It was disturbingly pleasant to watch for SNP-supporters. The panel and the audience seemed balanced. While there were a few attempts to unsettle John Swinney with attacks from the audience these were few in number and there were none of the pile-ons we saw to see on Question Time.
On a general note, it was pleasingly polite with little shouting over other people’s comments.
But best of all were Stephen Jardine’s expressions of utter astonishment at the fibs and distortions of reality offered by Murdo Fraser and Monica Lennon and his apparent head-nodding enthusiasm for John Swinney’s comments. On the need for migrants and on the stupidity of repealing the offensive behaviour at football act, he could not stop nodding. Is this man a nationalist plant in the BBC?
However, Tory grandee, Lord Farquhar Farquharson of Farquharland, has condemned BBC Scotland for ‘rolling over to Sturgeon’ and for rejecting the applications from 40 of his staff to attend and to represent Scotland more fairly.
He makes sense. Must stop nodding my head when he speaks.
Did she just blame offensive behaviour at football matches on council cuts to…road maintenance?
Brexit vote was based on a lie. ‘You can say that on any referendum?’ Is he admitting they lied in 2014 too?
Hearts fan asks Rangers fan Murdo Fraser if he feels any responsibility after his ‘Queen’s 11’ tweet Stephen remembers the BBC’s royal charter, ignores her and turns to Tom Hunter.
‘I’m a great supporter of Catholic schools.’ Really, why do you feel the need to tell us that? Is it because of your tie and your tweets? ‘I’d like to see more Jewish schools.’ What about Muslim Schools? ‘Muslim parents choose to send their children to a Catholic school.’ Do they like the history class on how the popes launched the crusades?
Well it was fun. I’ll watch at least one more.
Talking-up Scotland 
Mr Jardine usually chairs the BBC Scotland phone in on Fridays, and, sometimes Thursdays. He does not have the historic post 2014 baggage which Kaye Adams and Louise White carry, and, generally has been even handed with callers. However, on a couple of occasions when some particularly crass racist or bigot has called – I.e one who does not realise how racist and bigoted he/she is, Mr Jardine has got torn in and has not ‘missed him and hit the wall’. The most recent was on a Brexit phone in when a couple of ‘foreigners just hate us’ callers came on. He pointed out that he had worked for several years in several European cities and had not encountered anti Britishness as being described mendaciously. Sometimes we need this ‘cut the crap’ attitude to have a proper discussion withgenuinely valid opposing views.
I was tentatively pleased that he had been appointed.
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I couldn’t bring myself to watch any of the new channel output.
Maybe I should – any mainstream programme that allows SNP views to be considered in an adult manner must be to our advantage.
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