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Labour MP Jim Murphy calls BBC-Bias protestors bullies

Monday, 30 June 2014 17:42
15 Comments
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  Some Scottish journalists and No supporters have questioned the metal health of the people filmed in the short documentary shown below.
 
The protestors were labelled “nutty”, “bampots” and worse as one Labour parliamentary candidate, likened youngsters at the demo with Hitler Youth.

Labour MP Jim Murphy said they had “lost the plot” and described the people as “angry and divisive”.
 
Here is Mr Murphy’s quote as published by several news outlets:

“The nationalists’ attempts to bully broadcasters and boycott businesses is the last thing the independence debate needs.

“More and more Scots are looking at their angry and divisive campaign and finding it a turn off.

“The reason for the nationalists’ frustration is clear: after 80 years of campaigning to break up the UK and with just 80 days to go, patriotic Scots are still saying no thanks to their political project.

“They are losing the big arguments and losing the plot in a big way. We have seen lots of online bullying by nationalists, now we are seeing real-world attempts to bully a broadcaster.”

The BBC claimed there were just 350 people present at the demonstration.

Judge for yourself.

Comments  

 
# macgilleleabhar 2014-06-30 18:47
Mr. Murphy, BBC in Scotland and others of pro Unionist beliefs should be left in peace to mourn the loss of their gravy train but I do wish they would do so in private.
 
 
# Sulzer27 2014-06-30 18:53
The newly selected Labour PPC for Angus, Kathy Wiles posted a Tweet last night comparing the children who attended the demonstration to the Hitler Youth. Will that make the front page of the newspapers – never. I do hope the good people of Angus punish her in the best way possible.
 
 
# Jo Bloggs 2014-06-30 19:05
… questioned the mental health…” of the protesters? Wasn’t it the Soviet Union that used to lock dissidents up in psychiatric hospitals? Is this really the way Murphy and his pals want to go?
 
 
# Alastair McIntosh 2014-06-30 19:09
As an MP, does Mr Murphy not recognise peaceful demonstrating as a legitimate and important part of the democratic process? I was present at both this and the previous BBC demonstration (though this one only at the start).Last time I saw virtually no sign of BBC staff. This time, I saw about a dozen staff looking from the windows, some waving, several taking photographs, one even repeatedly giving us a big thumbs up sign.

The only issue I’d have with some of the social media reports is where claims have been made of 2,000 people being present. By estimating 10 x 10 blocks of people and multiplying up, I reckoned on about 300 at the point when I had to leave at 1405. More were still arriving, so allowing for some increase and maybe 20% error margin in this method of estimating, I’d say that “hundreds” was the correct estimate, not thousands, and that those on both sides of this debate represent themselves best when seeking to be accurate and respectful in this debate.
 
 
# Hillside 2014-06-30 19:18
It gives me no pleasure to say that I saw this coming. The fact that the BBC had reported one of these protests for the first time made me wonder if something was afoot. It also fits with the ‘bullying nationalist’ narrative that the ‘No’ campaign have been flogging for the last few weeks. I do think however that the public will be able to judge for themselves whether the BBC are indeed biased or not, and don’t need to rely on Mr Murphy to form an opinion.
 
 
# Marga B 2014-06-30 21:43
You’ll have seen this, Hillside:

“Rory Bremner condemns sinister, unpleasant intimidation of pro-UK supporters” – Herald.

Yes, possibly a coordinated reaction.
 
 
# Henderson 2014-06-30 19:24
Dear Mr Murphy – This is what putting Scotland first looks like
 
 
# stewart b 2014-06-30 19:31
Jim Murphy has a habit of calling people names just ask Pete Wishart.
Murphy is the one who’s lost the plot along with the debate. No shame in the man whatsoever.
 
 
# Mad Jock McMad 2014-06-30 21:06
Murphy assumes everyone else behaves the way he does and has done since the days of his involvement in student politics – ask folk at the NUS when he was around.

Ask Lamont … Jim’s style with folk he deems underlings is less than pleasant.
 
 
# Jacque De Molay 2014-06-30 23:43
“If you want to check someone’s principles, give him authority . Then have a seat & watch”

Pull up a seat, Murphy is on.
 
 
# Breeks 2014-07-01 08:37
This from Murphy of the Foreign Office. (That’s what Murphy of the F.O. F.O. F.O. means doesn’t it?).
Murphy, who supports the Union but isn’t a Unionist.
Murphy, who hates nuclear weapons but wants to keep them just the same.

It speaks volumes for Labour that political camelions like Murphy can be promoted so far beyond their integrity.
 
 
# creigs1707repeal 2014-07-01 09:21
The BBC are nothing but the propaganda unit of the UK Govt. When it suits people like Murphy to smear people legitimately protesting against the daily pro-dependence bias pumped out by the BBC, he claims it is being bullied. (The BBC being bullied by some kids–who’dda thunk it?)

What people like Murphy fail to realise is that these people are actually fighting for the open democratic society that we ALL want. But just because it suits his ends at the moment for the state broadcaster to be used as a weapon for his side of the debate, he is quite happy.

When will it be, Mr Murphy, when the state broadcaster starts pumping out a different message, one that YOU are at odds with? Where will your sentiments lie then?

Know this, Mr Murphy–what the state broadcaster is doing is evil and, as we all should know by now, all it takes for evil to succeed is for good men, (women & kids) to do nothing.
 
 
# Roguetk421 2014-07-01 11:04
Jim Murphy trying to be relevant. Best ignore him.
 
 
# anniepannie 2014-07-01 12:12
Can I add my twopence worth here? How long do you think it will be before the heavy mob appear and could easily disrupt the whole thing. I’m worrying about peoples’ safety here. It would be all too easy for some nutters (possibly organised by the bitters?) to infiltrate the protest, and that’s the last thing we want. I’m not too sure how you guard against this, but I’m just saying.
 
 
# Teri 2014-07-01 19:00
Why is it that Labour MPs attribute characteristics they themselves possess to those on the Pro-Indy side?

Turning things round and attributing them to the other side is what they do both individually and as a party.

It’s such a pity the Labour party are now quite happy to let injustices go and by doing so are complicit. There was a time when they would have protested but those days are gone. They are only in Politics now for themselves; never to help the people who elect them.

It’s time to get rid of them for good.
 

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