To think that the Alex Salmond evidence story deserves to be given more importance by the U.K. news channels.

[Tamingofthehamster]

For a story all about corruption and overreaching power, which could potentially bring down the Scottish First Minister, why is it only ranking 20th in Sky News?

possibly because Scotland accounts for 8% of the UK population?

It's not in London or Manchester, so will always be lower down.

It is an important story in my opinion, especially with Scottish Parliament elections in May, as it could impact on SNP support.

Maybe, but surely more in the public interest than ‘football academy’s and young dreams’, ‘radio dh’s sister leaves hospital,’ ‘Prince Phillip is slightly better’ ‘David Attenborough says something on climate change again’ .

And believe me, I am not belittling these stories, I really aren’t, but they are nothing compared to the massive scandal going on in Scotland right now, which stinks of corruption.

By ranking do you mean reader popularity? Because if so, they can't 100% control what people choose to read. I saw a long report on the issue in the news last night and I'm in England.

I just went to the BBC News site, on the UK page it's there, along with 6 other items. Hardly being hidden.

I’m interested in it because it’s a murky sinister story with seemingly no good guy, but unless you have really followed Scottish politics it’s a little complicated (I haven’t historically) to know what to think

I don’t really want to read anymore until there is a verdict of some kind, it’s all very ‘he said, she said’ at the moment and that sort of news is frustrating to read 🤷‍♀️

I have read a few of the Scotsman and the Wings Over Scotland blog links posted on MN recently on Scotsnet, and they're fascinating reading.

I do agree that it's interesting that this isn't a much bigger story given it's the likely death knell for Sturgeon's leadership, which has knock-on implications for the SNP, forthcoming campaigning, electoral gains and losses, independence, and the Union - especially when tied in with the SNP's crackpot ideas on gender identity and its now-exposed vicious internal culture.

It also needs explaining how so many women gave statements about and/or evidence against Alex Salmond. So many women making stuff up? I don't buy it. Shades of Lord 'technically innocent' Rennard, perhaps?

I think people have formed opinions of Salmond over the years and there is precious little sympathy for him.

There's a pandemic on, he needs to cool his jets for a while.

I tried to write a reply as to why this is about Sturgeon rather than Salmond, but couldn’t explain it clearly enough.
This part of the story is about how NS is preventing Salmond from giving evidence that could cause her resignation, by using the Scottish judiciary, the head of which is a high up person in the SNP.

I know many people in Scotland who have stories about how creepy Alex Salmond is. I suspect most people are just too distracted by covid at the moment and I've read a few articles about this and it's a hard story to follow exactly what happened.

the head of which is a high up person in the SNP

Who are you talking about?

I know it can’t be the Lord Advocate 😂😂

OP you are spot on. The implication that there is abuse of power here to protect own position and that is absolutely reprehensible. How is this not causing uproar in Scotland?

How is this not causing uproar in Scotland?

It is.

According to the rumour mill thousands of people have left the SNP.

But there is a bit of paralysis because nobody wants to rock the boat.

For many SNP supporters Queen Nicola can do no wrong and they suspect MI5 is behind the whole thing.

Sturgeon’s opponents in the SNP are intimidated because the leadership has a tight grip on the party machine.

Unionists do not want to depose Sturgeon in case whoever takes over is more militant about independence than she is.

If the BBC and Sky gave the story the prominence it deserves they would be accused of being anti-Scottish. Any criticism of the SNP leadership is criticism of the whole population and is proof that the English media is biased against the Scots and all English people hate Scotland so the only solution is INDEPENDENCE!!!! One people, One Scotland, One Sturgeon!

I find the articles somewhat frustrating, a whole thing about not allowing a document, then it's allowed, then it's edited... Without knowing what document this is nor anything about what it says, it's just irritating journalism.

He is technically innocent because the prosecution didn't stick. I don't like her politics, but I've no idea why Sturgeon is supposed to be held accountable for his behaviour when he isn't being held accountable for it. Something like she was told on one day but says she heard a few days later... in real life she might have heard rumours from one or another person that he was a dirty old sleazebag every day except Christmas, so wasn't able to recall.

Surely the head of the Scottish judiciary is not a high up person in the SNP? Judges endeavour to keep their politics private, I thought.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9289975/Alex-Salmond-forced-WITHDRAW-bombshell-evidence.html
Here is a very detailed report of the whole thing.

That isn't new though, it's been in the press for months that he said she knew a few days earlier than she said. He says he knows what he told her on 2nd April. Stating what someone else told her on 29th March is hearsay, only the person who spoke to her on 29th March can testify to that. With everything else going on, I really don't get the point about why those 3 days matter, can anyone fill me in?

As said, I don't like the woman, but it's highly distasteful that he's allowed to try to bring her down based on his own unwanted groping habits while he gets off scot free.

@MRex

I find the articles somewhat frustrating, a whole thing about not allowing a document, then it's allowed, then it's edited... Without knowing what document this is nor anything about what it says, it's just irritating journalism.

He is technically innocent because the prosecution didn't stick. I don't like her politics, but I've no idea why Sturgeon is supposed to be held accountable for his behaviour when he isn't being held accountable for it. Something like she was told on one day but says she heard a few days later... in real life she might have heard rumours from one or another person that he was a dirty old sleazebag every day except Christmas, so wasn't able to recall.

This is what I think too. There was a meeting about him, but then apparently she lied and said that she forgot about the meeting. Who cares? He's a sleaze. He was found innocent but he's still a sleaze.

Loathe Salmond.

Loathe Sturgeon.

SNP rotten to the core. Unfortunately there are lots of people here who vote for people of the quality of Margaret Ferrier (covid Maggie, who takes trains when positive) because they are SNP.

I have spent days trying to work out whats going on with this Salmond thing. I'm not a member of any political party so I don't have any skin in the game.
As far as I can work out, Salmond is a man seeking revenge. He got accused of the harrassment stuff, thought he could rely on NS et al to support him.
They did the only thing they could politically by stepping away from it. Possibly because they knew he was what my mother would call 'handsy'.
On a personal level he felt betrayed by his friends and political colleagues and has tried to find some sort of massive conspiracy behind it. He's now hell bent on getting his revenge and bringing NS etc down with him. I don't think it helps that he has people inside the party cheering him on.
As for NS all I can see is that she is accused of speaking to him earlier than she said she did by a few days and judging by the texts published yesterday, I think she was trying to get out of speaking to him at all.

possibly because Scotland accounts for 8% of the UK population?

So does that mean important stories in Scotland shouldn't be reported them over some of the dross that is?

There was an hour long show on BBC2 about it yesterday evening though OP. Maybe you just aren't looking at all news sources?

I don't like either of them but think the authoritarianism of the SNP is extremely concerning. They claim to consult with various groups over issues and those groups turn out to be government funded.
I would like to know more about the evidence they have prevented him from presenting. Its the process that I am interested in