Head of Better Together Blair McDougall is interviewed by Raymond Buchanan

Friday, 01 February 2013 23:05

The head of the Better Together anti independence campaign Blair McDougall answers questions sent in by viewers. The interviewer is BBC Scotland reporter Raymond Buchanan.

Below Mr McDougall's interview is the interview given by Yes Scotland head Blair Jenkins, who was recently interviewed by Douglas Fraser.

Readers can gauge the relative performance of each interviewee as well as whether both men were pressed equally on key areas.

Better Together head Blair McDougall

Yes Scotland head Blair Jenkins

Comments

# Mac 2013-02-02 00:31

Should Scotland trust the BBC?

On the evidence of these interviews?

Certainly not!

# clootie 2013-02-02 01:40

It is my deep shame that I once considered the BBC as a trustworthy body. However I once trusted banks and newspapers too.

Is it not an unfortunate set of affairs that we can no longer trust these bodies? What happened - was I really that naive or did the individuals intrusted with these roles give up / sell out or did they simply bow to the pressure.

Let's have clear out and start again. We must have a few men / woman of integrity still around.

# Breeks 2013-02-02 10:30

I hear that Clootie.

It's a much wider problem than Banks and Broadcasting. Pursue a complaint against any public sector body, quango or corporate private company, and see how far you get. Your own honesty & personal integrity counts for nothing, even documented evidence vindicating your grievance is no assurance that you'll ever see justice.

Before you trust an arbiter, tribunal or ombudsman, find out their background. There's a reason why these agencies prefer you to go to an industry Ombudsman rather than a court.

I once had faith in the system, I was raised to be honest and respectful, but I haven't had any faith in 'the system' for a long time.

Integrity does still exist in pockets, but what is lacking is the collective courage to stand up and be counted when the 'system' fails the little guy. We are too often indifferent to the right outcome or the wrong one, - it doesn't matter to us until the problem affects ourselves.

# Jo Bloggs 2013-02-06 18:53

Hi clootie. It has always been thus. We just notice it more now.

I well remember back in 1978, the first time I was outside the so-called UK for more than a few days, on a 4-week holiday visiting a friend in Norway. I'd previously been out of Scotland for longer (in London), but not entirely free of the BBC.

In Norway, I was struck by the profound sense of peace I had on being able to give up my internal deprogramming rearguard action in defence against the BBC. I wasn't able to articulate it then, but that's what it was, no longer having to struggle to keep the progaganda from seeping into my soul. It was such a relief to be away from the anglosaxophone even for a few weeks.

# alasdairmac 2013-02-02 01:43

To be honest I thought that McDougall got a harder time if it but a superb performance from Blair Jenkins. Thank goodness he's on our side!

# Keef 2013-02-02 01:55

At 26.15 Raymond asks why the " yes" campaign is running such a negative campaign. He was talking of the better together campaign at the time. Neither of the two correct this obvious blunder. Are we to believe the head of the no campaign thinks that better together is running on a 'yes' vote?

Was it a subtle 'mistake' or a deliberate ploy to equate yes with running a negative campaign?

There was so many topics that Blair could have been corrected on, sadly they were let go by Raymond.

# Barbazenzero 2013-02-02 11:32

Good article, but some background on McDougall would be helpful.

I wasn't entirely surprised to find no bio information re Blair McDougall on the Bitter Together website, where I note that the +ve case web page could still be printed on the back of a postage stamp, but note that the Open Unionism website seems as underwhelmed by him as I am with their www.openunionism.com/.../ which closes with:
Quote:

When the Yes campaign was launched they recruited Blair Jenkins a former Director of Broadcasting at STV, and Head of News and Current Affairs at both STV and BBC Scotland. While Better Together chose Labour Party activist Blair McDougall. It was the serious, meets the "can'a be too bothered".

So far as I can tell, McDougall seems to have been a NuLab SPAD at the DWP in Westminster and clearly hopes for a future with his snout back in the Westminster trough.

# Coinneach 2013-02-02 17:26

In my opinion these were two good interviews. I was expecting, ala Gordon Brewer, butting in, not allowing questions to be finished, talking over the intervuee.Brewers usual.
That was not here, questions were asked and answered with no interjections. What more do you want.
As was the interview on STV Newsnight Scotland on the 30th Jan. Once again the question were put to Alex and he was allowed to answer in his own time. In fact I sent STV an email thanking them. I think if they get feed back showing the viewer appreciates that style of interview they might do more of the same. Let the anti's blow themselves up.

# ynot 2013-02-02 19:10

Listening to the McDougall tape I learned 2 things before I gave up: 1. the UK government doesn't need to approach the EU for clarification on Scotland's position as Bsrrosso has already told us all we need to know, and 2. the SNP are seriously untrustworthy and don't have any policies (this in fact was the answer to most of the questions posed to McDougall.
So, were the aims of the programme in terms of informing the public on issues relevant to the referendum achieved? As far as I'm concerned they were achieved in abundance although not perhaps in the way the BBC intended. On the basis of what I saw and heard there is now definitely only one way to vote: YES!

# art1001 2013-02-03 13:03

He said we are safer/more secure being in a larger unit - hence better together. Not borne out by the facts e.g. Spain, Italy etc.

England is our largest trading partner. I am pretty sure that is because a lot of our products pass through English ports.

Disruption. We trade a lot more easily by being better together in a UK union than with other European countries. I think having a land border is a more important factor than incorporating political union for facilitating trade.

Ireland not scrambling to rejoin. This really stumped him.

As to friends and family. Well a big reason why there are a lot of Scots in England and further afield is because they must move to get a job. A situation caused by the Union. If Scotland prospers many will return and families will be reunited. Better together often means families torn apart.

# Tappietourrie 2013-02-03 18:45

Mr McDougall made the comment that more oil in the Scottish North Sea reserves could be extracted more effectively by cooperating with the rUK within the union. Is he inferring that we do not have the engineering talent or where for all to do the job ourselves with independence and as a result gain the benefits? This sounds like another put down like ‘you’re not good enough without the British state’ or an even more sinister motive. I leave you to judge. What about the hub of oil activities worldwide in Aberdeen that has been building up experience over the last thirty odd years. Did he consult with experts in the oil exploration business to come out with this sweeping statement or is it as I think, just another wide of the mark utterance by a person who from his web site was an advisor to Tony Blair?

# Coinneach 2013-02-03 21:57

As I said at 2013-02-02 16:26 run an Obama style campaign. Which I think is what is happening. Give the anti's all the rope they want to hang themselves. They have no arguments except lies and deceit. Plenty of time for the public to pick up on it.

# Macart 2013-02-04 09:23

Night and day.

What a gift Blair Jenkins is to the YES campaign. Assured, positive and straight forward. Even under Mr Frasers extensive grilling, an answer for every question, no waffle no prevarication.

And on the other hand under the much lighter touch of Mr Buchanan, Mr McDougall appeared unsure, pressured, evasive and lacking on policy to present to the electorate.

Who knew?

# ScotsCanuck 2013-02-04 19:43

What a class act Blair Jenkins is !!!!
Came across as confident, knowledgeable &
sincere.
I'm not a great fan of Douglas Fraser but
I acknowledge the fact he didn't talk over Blair's replies (AKA Brewer) and that's refreshing.

More of the same please.

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Head of Better Together Blair McDougall is interviewed by Raymond Buchanan

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