In a 1400-word piece on ‘Who would win if a general election were held now?’ by Sir John Courtier, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, we only read of the SNP twice, well down the page, is this revealing choice of word:
That means that not only are there as many as four parties recording substantial levels of support across Britain as a whole, but also a fifth which has a stranglehold on Westminster voting intentions in Scotland.
The SNP does not feature in either of the two graphics nor in any of the three photographs, but it is the choice of the word ‘stranglehold’ which catches the eye because it reminds us that the Prof Sir is by no means an impartial observer here.
Ironically, the Prof Sir is the BBC’s go-to-guy on elections and polls. I have never seen any other psephologist (poll-reader) perform for them. Is he the only one in the UK? I doubt it but he seems to have a stranglehold on the slot. Like some other stranglers in history, his grip has earned him a knighthood.
It’s at least as ironic and a bit laughable too, to see the SNP’s popularity described as a ‘stranglehold’ by the BBC. The SNP is popular as no other government has been. Twelve years in, they consistently poll around 40-45% and look like wiping the mat with their feckless and morally bankrupt opponents. In June 2018, the ONS reported that 61% trusted the Scottish Government to work in Scotland’s best interests compared to 20% for the UK Government. This popularity, unlike that gifted to populists such as Farage, with numerous unwarranted media invitations, was earned in the face of BBC propaganda including the well-attested demonization of Alex Salmond. To represent this hard-won popularity as a stranglehold requires a mindset already predisposed to attack the SNP at any opportunity.
When we think back to the BBC and its attempt to deny political bloggers, such as Wings, access to news reports excerpts because they might be used to evidence their bias, we see a veritable chokehold. In 2014, Good Morning Scotland removed episodes more quickly in an attempt to prevent those such as me digging into their dirty past.
When you consider the BBC’s attempts to jail licence fee avoiders who have chosen to make a principled stand against their propaganda, you see that they know all about strangleholds.
The term has previous as a Tory trope:
A strong Scottish Conservative opposition can break the “Labour-SNP stranglehold”
A strong Scottish Conservative opposition can break the “Labour-SNP stranglehold”
Miss Davidson will argue this Left-wing “stranglehold” suits Labour and the SNP but has made it difficult for the Tories as so many voters are reliant on the public sector for their household income.
To join Labour in a bid to break the SNP’s “stranglehold” north of the border.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/smear-campaign-against-nurse-forces-sturgeon-to-step-in-hx3pkh6gx
Ruth Davidson vows to break ‘Labour-SNP stranglehold’
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14400153.ruth-davidson-vows-to-break-labour-snp-stranglehold/
And the appeal is obvious to political parties seeking to dent the SNP’s stranglehold on the majority of Scottish constituencies.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40170166
Proving that the Nat stranglehold on Labour’s territory was not quite as secure as it had seemed
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/scotland/2017/07/scottish-labour-way-back-or-heading-civil-war
How dare they vote SNP. Why don’t they like us…WAAAH!!!
Talking-up Scotland 
You mean the go to unionist psephologist ? call it what it is Prof 🙂 You wouldn’t get near the BBC unless you had unionist leanings. He’s a safe pair of hands for the BBC that’s why he’s there, he’ll do as he’s told, or he’ll say what he’s told to say.
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160 000 Conservative and Unionist party members, a large proportion of whom only joined the party in the last year, have just told 65 million people who their most powerful leader is to be. Now there’s a stranglehold if ever I saw one.
British democracy ?????
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Yes even better example!
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Correction…….
That 160 000 should read 138 809 – about a fifth of one percent of the UK population.
This has to be a new definition of madness.
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They used to use Peter Kellner for the longest of times but he then went off to found Yougov so he wasn’t seen as being impartial.
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Don’t be fooled by the benign look of the man , he is BritNat through and through .Watch and listen to him when there is a major poll on political parties and the SNP are doing well , he speeds past it like the speed of light !.
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Benign?
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Maybe not in that picture 😆
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The language of the BBC and the rest of the MSM – and their toadies – is insidious and incessant.
I’m heartily sick of it but wonder if many people notice the drip, drip, drip like an acid eroding self-belief.
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Cannot stand the man. He is so obviously biased toward the Union, it’s laughable. Have stopped watching BBC news as it is not politically representative at all. Also Sky this morning, all over Jo Swinson, really????? Uhg.
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Hi,I stopped watching the news years ago ,I will say this I love watching RT news at least I see more if not all the truth on it. Oh if I truly want a good laugh I watch the upper house and the lower house of Westminster. That’s when I realize I,am glad to be going out instead of just starting in life’s journey.
Shame on them.
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Are you referring to Prof Sir John Curtice? Basic fact checking is an essential part writing, you would do well to learn it.
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I was. I will. Thank you for your stern but fair guidance…..OR was I suggesting that he’s like a courtier?
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John, I love reading Ur paper or post.
Thank you for standing up as not many speak out in Ur profession, especially for the good of the truth and all the people in Scotland.
I travel a lot by taxi in Glasgow and all the taxi driver get enlightened about the truth and
the politics especially about what is truly happening down south against the ones that have the right to vote. I can say I wish more of them would read this ,and it will come up in the taxi I’m going on today.
Thank you for speaking out
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Thanks Sheena. Your support is good for my morale.
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