Supping with the Devil

If you are going to sup with the Devil, one must be advised to use a long spoon.
I would suggest that Alex Salmond is doing exactly that, when he commented “a very interesting eight words a textbook example of how to deploy a tweet and cause a great stir.”

“We are in a debate in Scotland and internationally about Scotland’s future and I welcome all contributions to that debate, including Mr Murdoch’s,”

Alex was not exactly jumping for joy and shouting from the rooftops,but he would have been very pleased indeed by this news. However, given how Rupert is viewed by many, Alex has to be very cautious and measured in what he says publicly.

Eight words from old Rupert on twitter started an absolute stooshie.
All he tweeted was “Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win.”
With these eight words he set the cat in amongst the pigeons, and they have been flapping and squawking like demented hens ever since.

Head Cockerel in Chief Alan Cochrane had this to say in the Telegraph.
“Lost a bit in the furore over what was, in fact, Mr Murdoch’s second tweet of the weekend were his words from a previous message on Sunday. Then he had tweeted, following the meeting between Mr Salmond and Prime Minister David Cameron last Thursday: “Alex Salmond clearly most brilliant politician in U.K. Gave Cameron back of his hand this week. Loved by Scots.”

His judgment on Eck’s brilliance suggests to this observer at least that Mr Murdoch doesn’t spend enough time in Britain – he spends none in Scotland – and whether or not his hero’s behaviour is loved by Scots will not be tested properly until the referendum, which on present evidence Mr Salmond thinks he’ll lose.”

Somehow we are to deduce from two tweets by Rupert in admiration of Alex Salmond as a politician, and supporting Scotlands Independence that according to Cochers Old Rupert doesn’t know what he is talking about? That Alex Salmonds positive Leadership poll ratings are a figment of imagination, and that Alex has concluded that Scotland wont win Independence?
One word for Cochrane: Bonkers!

So lets have a comment from a somewhat less rabid source.
Brian Taylor on His Blethering Brian Blog, on which nobody can dispute, or blether back.BBC policy old chaps.

Brian says
” Timing is all. A wee while back Alex Salmond might have offered an enthusiastic welcome to Rupert Murdoch’s tweeted support for independence.
He might have recalled Mr Murdoch’s Scottish ancestry – and his apparent distrust of the British Establishment.

But right now? In the middle of the Leveson inquiry into media ethics? An inquiry initially prompted by complaints about phone hacking at the now defunct News of the World (prop, R. Murdoch)?

Right now, Mr Salmond’s response was notably constrained, welcoming “all contributions to the debate, including Mr Murdoch’s”.

I agree, there was not a chance that Alex would allow himself to be sucked in by Unionist faux outrage into being too enthusiastic, but he will be grateful allright.
When you are after everything you can get, you refuse nothing other than blows. This is no blow.

Brian then goes on to say “Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats said it was the endorsement every politician dreads.”
Aye right it is!
I can sure see Willie or the LibDems being outraged by such support if they were lucky enough to get it.
Funnily enough, one such Michael Brown has been returned to this country in the last couple of weeks

“Multi-millionaire fraudster and Liberal Democrat donor Michael Brown has been arrested in the Dominican Republic after going on the run, police said.
Brown was sentenced in his absence to seven years in jail after being convicted of fraud at Southwark Crown Court in 2008.
He donated about £2.4 million to the Lib Dems ahead of the 2005 general election – its largest donation to date.”

The LibDems refused to return this money to those were defrauded.
People in Glass Houses, Wullie.

Brian goes on to say;
“The Unionists calculate that Rupert Murdoch is a negative asset, right now. Judge the independence cause, they may seek to imply, by the company it attracts.”

“Labour has already noted mischievously that Mr Salmond can presumably rely upon support from Tommy Sheridan. All that would be needed to complete their joy would be for Fred Goodwin to step forward and yell “Freedom”.”

I actually gave a wee smile to that pun, no bad, mildly amusing.
Although I somewhat doubt Fred the Shred could be convinced to support Independence, I would take his vote too, why not?

I bet labour would dearly love to have the support of at least one of these, the socialist but flawed values of another, and the business acumen of the third.
Fred may have stretched too far in his greed, but nobody was complaining while he was raking it in, and being made a knight for his efforts.
You don’t need to like someone to be able to agree with them at some time.

The Huffington Post tells us :
“Andrew Neil has waded into the debate, describing Murdoch as “anti-British” and “anti-establishment” for his recent tweets”.

Sounds good to me Andrew old Boy.

Prior to the Levison enquiry over the phone hacking scandal, Blair, Brown, Cameron all have courted old Rupert, and if he were to support any of their parties now, they would be gushing all over him again. He knows that, and so do they!

It really is all a case of green cheese, when he says these eight little words. They know the clout he has got, and they don’t need to like him to court his support.

What Ruperts little mischievious intervention does, is potentially put the Independence debate on a level playing field in the media.
Up until now, it has all been in the British establishments pocket, and that is what makes the SNP success even more remarkable.

If the British Establishment were worried before, they are now scared witless.
No more are they holding all the Media cards.
They still have the BBC and most of the newspapers, but the field is opening up.
If Rupert persuades the SUN to go pro Independence, it is significant. The tabloid is Scotlands highest selling newspaper.
The Herald have been making noises, and the record are taking on Joan McAlpine, but still anti Independence. That leaves the Scotsman as the establishments paper.
The BBC are having to watch themselves after recent events, but will still be very much the British Media.
But note..Last year, Alex Salmond started giving the Beeb a back seat and went to Sky for major announcements, expect more of the same.

When it comes to the issue of independence for Scotland, I would sup with the Devil if he agreed. It doesn’t mean I will agree with him or support him in anything else.
So yes, welcome aboard Rupert and Tommy and even Fred if he wants.
I don’t like any of you, but so what?
If you can help deliver Scotlands freedom, you may yet find some redemption one day.