Support any team you like - as long as it's England

IndyGal wrote (on the freescot forum www.freescot.com/forum/) :

Just watched the news on GMTV read out by a Scottish newsreader. The two presenters on the couch Ben Sheppard and Penny Smith had just been asking Scottish viewers to text in and say if they were supporting England in the World Cup. At the end of the News, they asked the newsreader if she was supporting England and she said no. Penny said something like "you're not supporting the home nation?", the newsreader said "yes but it's not MY home nation" and then almost jumped out of her seat at the sharp intakes of breath she was apparently hearing in her ear from the show's producers. So now, Scots are not even allowed to state the fact, the truth, that England is NOT their nation without eliciting a negative response. THEN Penny Smith decided to "tease" the newsreader by suggesting "perhaps it's because they're jealous because England sends Scotland £50 million pounds a year" - can't remember the exact quote or figures but you get the jist and I've complained. I think we TV watchers are going to be kept busy during the World Cup.

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It would be useful if there was some kind of media monitoring unit which kept an eye on all the channels for examples of media bias against Scotland. The incident you described might seem small but they do have a cumulative effect so well done 'Indygal' for complaining about it.

The real problem is of course that there is no independent Scottish media and as long as Britain and England are considered to be interchangable and the assumption (since 83% or whatever of the viewers are English) therefore is that everyone watching is English, loves England and wants them to win the world cup.

At least during these tournaments the reality of the situation becomes more exposed. Both the Lib Dems and Labour supported broadcasting powers for devolution therefore all independence supporting MSP's in the parliament should be piling pressure on the executive to declare that they want them now or explain why not.

Also a few letters in the paper might help, since all the letters on this topic tend to be "I hate England" without any analysis of the political situation.

I'm sure we all wince when yet another politically correct independence supporting MSP declares his new found love for the 'old enemy', while I understand their reasons (well I did the first time when Andrew Wilson did it) , to promote the fact that the SNP is multicultural and doesn't have an irrational hatred of England, it is now looking ever more desperate.

'Wee Jack' of course has tried to play the Scottish card by making a meaningless announcement that he's supporting Trinidad and Tobago (after Alex Salmond named them as his preferred team ) . Naturally he was condemned by the London news media who expected him to love England as much as every other Brit politician who denies Scotland's potential. This was of course a safe move for Jack (even though his spin doctor pal in the Scotsman condemned it) because it has no political implications.

The fact is that we are different countries and there should be no assumed obligation on Scots to support England at football, cricket or anything else -unless you're a true Brit of course like auld Ming or Gordon Broon who sold their souls to England years ago. They might as well change their official nationality to 'English' like Tony has. JOE