Today as an Alba member I received this email from the Party Secretary. I am appalled at the behaviour of this so-called independence supporting newspaper. Its reputation as nothing more than an in-house SNP fanzine is confirmed.
Dear Roddy,
The National
I am regrettably required to bring to your attention what seems to be a clearly inequitable stance against our Party by The National newspaper.
Earlier this year, we were engaged in discussions about a new round of advertising in The National, as we have done quite successfully over the last few months. You will be aware that we have regularly highlighted the case of independence through national billboard campaigns and newspaper advertisements. This was not only a considerable contribution to boosting general independence support, but also served as a good means of engaging with members of the public to help develop policies that reflect the needs of the people of Scotland.
The National offered a number of interview spots for ALBA candidates, but specified that “Alex Salmond can’t be among the … interviews”. We asked for clarification and were told it was an “editorial decision” by the paper. We attempted to discuss this informally with Newsquest senior editorial staff but were rebuffed with explanations which could best be described as fatuous. At no stage did the editor attempt to reach out directly to us in order to clarify or apologise for the offence that had been created. At no stage was there any suggestion that the position would change.
Simultaneously, the editor then discontinued the long-standing column of our Party Chair, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, despite the fact that it is regularly one of the best read feature columns in the paper. Any editor has the right to choose their columnists, but to remove ALBA’s only columnist with the paper to be replaced by new columnists who have zero track record of supporting the campaign for independence, is bitterly disappointing.
Thus among the myriad of columns featured in the paper, not one will be written from the ALBA perspective, despite ALBA clearly having a distinct role in the independence movement. ALBA are the only pro independence party that puts urgency on the necessity of restoring Scottish independence. ALBA are the only pro independence party that believes in a vibrant future for the North Sea as part of an energy strategy that unleashes the vast bounty of Scotland’s renewable potential. ALBA are the only Parliamentary pro independence party opposed to the controversial Gender Recognition Reforms that are a risk to women and girls across Scotland.
We have led calls for an independence convention to bring the independence movement together to unite behind a strategy that can bend Westminster to the will of Scotland, and importantly actually deliver independence.
We are unashamed of our position that Scotland should have an elected Head of State, underlining the principle that in an independent Scotland all citizens will be equal.
Our voice is not only one that should be featured strongly in any pro independence publication, it is one that represents on many of the above issues, the majority opinion of Scotland.
Instead, as is obvious from recent editions, the editorial direction of The National seems to be heavily invested in the fortunes of one particular candidate in the SNP leadership election and indeed, on one side of the Section 35/GRR debate. This narrow bias comes at a time when there is a great desire across the national movement to find a mechanism of working together.
Supporters will understand why we feel compelled to withdraw all our advertising from the paper until it is prepared to offer a fair platform to all points of view across the national movement.
Instead, we will continue to offer press releases and comment in the same way as we do for the rest of the mainstream media.
Unlike The National, ALBA do not attempt to censor points of view and our supporters are free to buy this paper or not as you wish. However, I thought it only fair to acquaint you with these facts which may help inform you in making any such decision.
Yours for Scotland,
Chris McEleny
General Secretary
I have subscribed to The National continuously since March 2018. My current subscription runs out next week – I will not be renewing it. There are many reasons for this and, looking back, I probably should have stopped at least 2 years ago. However, the final straw for me was the announcement that Ms Ahem-Sheik’s column would cease and that three new columnists would be brought in. Of the latter one was a former reality TV ‘star’ whose twitter feed has been slagging off Kate Forbes as being unfit to lead the SNP whilst puting SNP machine and pro-GRRB candidate Humza Yousaf for leader in the on-going leadership campaign. Another is a trans-woman and co-convenor of the Young Scottish Greens. The direction of travel under editor Laura Webster seems to me to be pretty clear.
I was not aware of their refusal to interview Alex Salmond so my decision would seem to be a good one. Incidentally I was disgusted by their coverage of the trial of Alex Salmond 3 years ago on trumped up charges plus their biased anti-Alba Party reportage at both the Scottish Parliament and Council elections of 2021 and 2022, respectively, so my severing financial support for this newspaper is long overdue.
The National and the SNP are both riding the same ticket Independence, but neither the Rag or the SNP want it. So why would they want Alex Salmond putting his oar into any debate, when he’s the only man to have ever delivered a referendum on Independence and has criticized the SNP for making no progress and wasting opportunities missed for Scotland since he left office.
I’ve said this for years the Rag is no friend to Indy or to any Pro-Indy parties who support it other than the New SNP. The Rag is only playing two side of the same coin for money.
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Scotland being Independent doesn’t benefit the New SNP MPs, MSPs or Councillors and it doesn’t benefit the Rag either, there is a lot of people making a lot of money saying Independence, but in fact don’t ever want.
I had a free subscription to the Rag and cancelled it after their treatment of Mr Salmond and their attitude that the SNP was the only ticket to Independence in town, which there not.
I’d advice any who love’s Scotland and subscribes to the Rag to let the paper die a death. Ask yourself this what has the Rag done for Scotland and the cause of Independence, sweet fanny Adam.
I never buy their paper, never go on their website and never read anything they write. I’m still here and supporting Independence.
Hi Roddy, I just got the email from Chris. I had already written to The National to protest about the treatment of Tas but this latest slap in the face denying AS the right to be interviewed is abhorrent. The National was not good at the best of times but this new editor with her rabid anti Alba stance will just further sow division in the Movement.
I had just taken out a subscription to read about the SNP leadership circus, but have now just cancelled with a protest to the editor.
There was a time when customers were having difficulties finding the National in their supermarkets, as they were at the bottom of the pile. Wanting to do something good they would put them to the top.
I reckon the time has come to put this rag back where it belongs; under the Daily Heil, The Express and the other shit on display. At least these other rags are honest in their hatred of Independence.
I gave up on that newspaper several years ago. Their treatment of Alex Salmond was disgraceful. Too much for me. Especially when I considered the number of times I’d raked around the newspaper piles in Thurso stores to uncover them when it appeared
they’d been deliberately hidden!
Been pointing this out for years now. You just have to look at the language and terminology used by The National to see it is anything but an independence supporting newspaper. And as you say, at best an SNP fanzine and the SNP are firmly in bed with the English establishment.
The National started off with potential but very quickly, within 2 years, became a bit of a joke and has remained so ever since. It is clear there is an agenda to keep Alex Salmond as far away from the public as is possible as he is the one politician while splits some opinion, actually does frighten the unionists, and many of the carpet baggers in the SNP, and who will actually put pressure on the no side via argument and fact. I would not wipe my arse on the National now to be fair so not surprised by this at all.
Why should Salmond Scare Unionists ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSvocvvj7rg
I’ve just cancelled my subscription to the National, which perhaps I should have done some time ago. The latest blatant snub to Alex Salmond and to the Alba party, and the editorial support for the vicious, narcissistic transgender fantasy, are the final straws.
I was also an online subscriber , but chucked it last year as didn’t like the way it was going, I feel vindicated now that I ditched this herald in national clothing rag
I’m a subscriber and now stuck with 11 future weeks of paper issues. Anyone wishing to buy them and donate to charity the purchase price, please respond.
Today’s issue has an article by a Hamish Morrison of yesterday’s STV hustings. I read his article and decided to do a column count, line by line, of his report coverage, of each candidate.
Ash Reagan – 10%; Kate Forbes – 26%; Yousef – 64%.
And yet STV were clearly determined to provide equal time to each candidate.
We need a few more dots to outline the picture, but Sturgeon running out of steam, then Swinney, the £660K investigation, the National terminating Tasmina, and declining Alex Salmond contributions.
Does look like something is seriously amiss.
Sturgeon’s vindictive influence? Murrell’s desperation? Surely even loyal Sturgeonites will view this latest act of SNP connivance with grave misgivings?
The only paper I buy now is a4 printer fodder
I nearly took this seriously until I saw the letter was from Chis McClowny , who cares what the National does or thinks anyway, I can never find them in WH Smiths its as if they are being deliberately hidden by the shop staff most likely because most other people don’t take it seriously anyway.
I have also cancelled my subscription, this was the last straw.
I’ve subscribed since the first few issues, but I have just cancelled my subscription to the Daily Nicola. Quite apart from the bias, and the fact that they won’t interview AS, the standard of journalism is woeful and worsening.