Independence supporters’ frustration over BBC’S ‘continuing Unionist bias’

Everydemocratshoulddefend freedom of speech and bans don’t help public debate. However, Scott Macnab (The Scotsman, 11 April) is mistaken when he states “the BBC found itself facing angry protests amid ridiculous claims of bias in its news reporting”.

The protests were not encouraged or organised by Alex Salmond or the SNP but followed Nick Robinson’s claims on air that Alex Salmond did not answer his question during the referendum campaign when in fact he answered at great length, as can be seen on Youtube, and in 2015 Nick Robinson admitted that the controver- sial phrasing of his news item “wasn’t good”.

In 2017 a BMG research poll indicated that 36 per cent thought that the BBC was biased against Scottish independence with 41 per cent undecided and only 23 per cent thought the BBC wasn’t biased.

This perception exists because the BBC reflects London’s view of the world, as highlighted when the most popular TV current affairs programme, Question Time, and “national” news coverage has very limited SNP appearances compared to when the Lib Dems were the third force at Westminster.

The fact that Nigel Farage, who represents a party with no councillors or MSPS in Scotland, regularly appears on Question Time and other programmes is further evidence that broadcasting should be devolved to reflect the reality in Scotland.

One can understand the frustration of independence supporters as it really is astonishing that we live in a country where there’s almost complete media support for Unionism yet the independence side are regularly accused of trying to silence critics.

FRASER GRANT Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh In the letter from Douglas Cowe (Letters, 10 April) with his reference to the “Scottish Executive”, we see evidence of another Scottish citizen who knows his place.

He then goes on to say that Scotland’s education “is in a shocking state”, the GP shortage is “alarming”, Police Scotland is a “disaster” and that “billions have been spent on an ill-fated computer system”.

All proof that you should never let the truth or hyperbole get in the way of a good rant.

GILL TURNER Derby Street, Edinburgh Many thanks to Darren Mcgarvey for his article “Wishart once inspired the angry mob, so his call for tolerance is good to hear” (10 April), which compared well with the issue’s Letters page. Some lowering of the temperature is needed on all sides.

Various letter-writers on the 10th found nothing but “failure”, “alarm”, “shock”, “disaster” and “free-fall” in the performance of the Scottish Government. This is an extreme and irrational interpretation of Scottish affairs which never allows for the imperfect nature of all government, never poses a question of Westminster nor allows that Westminster’s control of vital issues undermines the simple claim that the SNP is to blame for everything.

Can anyone seriously claim that health and social care are delivered to a higher standard in England, that local government fares better or that English police forces have not had their share of serious problems?

Of course the SNP government is not above criticism and the extreme voices in the independence movement must be condemned. I’ll join with Mcgarvey in condemning the “screeching pish” while noting that the froth of it often reaches the Letters pages. ROBERT FARQUHARSON

Lee Crescent, Edinburgh