Oh dear. It seems that Scotland’s self-identifying ‘newspaper’ is at it again. On Saturday, the great and the good of Edinburgh gathered to say farewell to Alex Salmond at St Giles’ Cathedral. Among those who assembled at the memorial service was First Minister John Swinney who – unlike his predecessors Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf – at least had the decency to turn up. But his presence there caused something of a stir – as the National was only too quick to point out.
‘The service of Alex Salmond has just started,’ reported reporter Laura Pollock, breathlessly. ‘A dramatic start as John Swinney took his seat, shouts of “traitor” and “shame on you” could be heard from Alba members inside the cathedral.’ Quite the claim, given that Pollock was stood some 35 metres away from St Giles Cathedral’ in the press pool. As attendee Roddy Dunlop pointed out:
There is no doubt that the FM was heckled (outside, by a few people on the pavement) as he left the service. But I heard no shouts within the cathedral, from Alba members or from anyone else… Suggesting that there was is hugely damaging, and detracts from what was, throughout, to my mind, eyes and ears, hugely respectful.
Cue a grovelling apology from Pollock who had to admit ‘An error from false information going around the press pool within the cathedral. We had all mistaken inside for outside and I should’ve verified before posting.’ But that did not stop fellow hack James Cook – the BBC’s Scotland editor – from going full studs up on Pollock by tweeting:
I was with the press pool in the cathedral. I talked to the journalists next to me about texts from colleagues outside re jeering. It is not true to say ‘we had ALL mistaken inside for outside’. At no point did I hear any jeering inside nor did I hear anyone suggest there was any.
Ouch. Taxi for the National eh?
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