The commentators 06-03-15(Ed's note: OK, the commentaries are about SNP, and Murphy is relevant only because of Labour's predicted Scottish wipeout, but it's such a lovely picture...)
...on Scotland and the electionIt has been assumed that the general election will be decided in England, in seats where Ukip deprives the Conservatives of a majority. In fact, it will be decided in Scotland. If the campaign is about finding a way of stopping Ed Miliband becoming prime minister, it seems that one might have been found. By effectively breaking up Britain, David Cameron — a natural governor of the Home Counties if ever we saw one — will be left to preside over a country he professes to love as it cracks apart.
- Philip Collins, The Times A Labour-SNP alliance would be a lethal cocktail for the United Kingdom. The two parties loathe and distrust one another in Scotland. At Westminster, SNP minds would not be focused on the well-being of the United Kingdom, but on their own party interests. In collaboration, the two parties would make common cause at the expense of their natural enemies. For Labour, that will be to pick the pockets of the Tory Shires; and for the SNP, to boost Scotland at the expense of the rest of the UK. It is shameful that Labour have not already ruled out even the suggestion of such a partnership.
- John Major, Daily Telegraph If, in the coming years, Britain proves to be a house divided against itself, as with the rise of nationalism it may, it will also require someone to fill Abraham Lincoln-sized shoes if the house is to continue to stand, both within these islands and in the union with Europe. It is hard to think of the statesman or woman with the standing to speak for our union. Perhaps an archbishop can attempt it. Perhaps a poet. Where, and who, is our Lincoln?
- Martin Kettle, The Guardian Up until five or ten years ago, it would not be unusual for editorial to throw out or move an ad if it sat uncomfortably with the news on a given page. That tended to be in everybody's interests: BA no more wants its ad on a page devoted to an air crash than the journalist placing the story. This may still be the case, although I suspect that these days pressure would be on editorial to reposition the story rather than the other way about.
If so, that is an example of fissures starting to appear in that dividing wall. If a story, however insignificant, has to move from its optimum position in the paper because of advertising considerations, a line has been crossed. A layman's guide to the relationship between editorial and advertising Comment archive, 2015Please sign up for SubScribe updates
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