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Pledge “binthescotsman”

"I will refuse to buy the Scotsman newspaper for the forseeable future but only if 50 other local people will do the same."

— Joe Middleton, from Edinburgh (contact)

Deadline to sign up by: 26^th April 2008
73 people signed up (23 over target)

Country: United Kingdom

More details
I am a regular reader of the Scotsman newspaper http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/

I buy it each and every day at work however I have been concerned for a long time that the paper is hopelessly biased against normal powers for Scotland (Scottish independence).

Recent stories have confirmed this bias with the new unionist review/commission (aka the Wendy Commission) being given extensive front page billing despite its refusal to even consider independence.

This is despite the fact that it is obviously controlled by the British Government, to the extent that it appears to want some powers returned from Holyrood!

At the same time the Scottish Government's national conversation has extended itself into civic Scotland with a major meeting between trade unionists, church leaders and others and the SNP.

The only reaction to this from the Scotsman is to howl with derision at the idea that any proposals on Scotland's future should be put to a democratic public vote.

Given this ridiculous stance I won't be providing them with one penny for a paper from this day forth.

The Scotsman (and their owners Johnston Press) can therefore now forget about the £250 or so of revenue per year that that entails until such point as they introduce a fair and balanced approach to Scottish self Government.

I hope others will join me in this pledge. (I have put a small figure in to get things started but I will be boycotting the Scotsman myself no matter how many others join me.)

Comments on this pledge

• I could not agree more. Johnstone press have sold out the Scotsmans credibility for advertising revenue in their southern titles. I will go further and rip up my subscription too the angling times also.
  Juan Kerr, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Never buy the damn thing anyway so why not!
  Nick Brand, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• What is this nationalist fixation with seeing what they perceive to be the "unionist press" go to the wall?
  
  Start your own newspaper and see if the market will support it. I hear the Scots Independent has a monthly circulation around the 6,000 mark. Impressive! ;-)
  AM2, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Chan e ach paipear-naidheachd bochd a th'ann a-nise. Cha bhith duine sam bith ga
  h-ionndrainn.
  Dàibhidh MacRuaidhri, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• The Herald and Sunday Herald's approach to constitutional matters is much more pro-active and recognises that, as the investigation to the election farce confirmed, that "the voter was an afterthought".
  
  I've given up subscriptions to a unionist party because I was fed up with all the negative campaigning. We have a new administration and guess what....the world is still turning.
  
  Time that the Hootsman woke up to the reality.
  
  Peace.
  
  Sandy
  Sandy Devers, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Well done .
  It's anti SNP, pro union stance put me off..What will the direction be for them when Liebour is put to rest for good at the next election?
  David Brawls, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• As a regular reader, I am also no longer buying the Scotsman. The Unionist bias and blatant scaremongering have turned me right off.
  Scottish Politics, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Oh dearie me. AM2 is rattled and trying to stop the ship sinking. Hope you signed the petition before you left! :-)
  
  Mind you. All all his comments stay and only people talking independence are silenced.
  
  Good to see the HootsMon and their in house agitators are paying attention though. It is obviously working!
  Juan Kerr, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have stopped buying the rag several months ago because of its lack of balanced treatment of the Constitutional issue.
  Pity, because it used to be an excellent newspaper back in the days of Alistair Dunnet.
  The rot set in when Brillo Pad and the Barclays took over and it has been in a downward spiral ever since. Its title is a sick joke because it is not supportive of Scotland or the Scots.
  Colin MacLeod, 7 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Uill, cha cheannaich mi e ach 's math gu bheil a' Ghàidhlig aige. Chan eil guth Gàidhlig aig a 'Scottish Indpendence Guide'. S bochd siud. Ach, tha mi dol leibh an-seo, taigh na croiche air an Albannach gus am bi e cothomach.
  Taigh na Croiche, 3 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I used to buy the paper on a regular basis, but it's articles were becoming more and more "London" oriented, also it's "national" news were increasingly exclusive to the Scottish central belt.
  Whilst understanding that financially, the central belt has the biggest population, it belies the title of "a national Scottish paper."
  Sandy Lumsden, 3 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• i gave up buying the 'hootsman ' before the scots elections last year, i remember thinking that a worthy newspaper in scotland should report the facts with unbiased journalism, with the exception of one glasgow based newspapaer all the papers including the 'hootsman' leaned to heavily towards the union. a news papers job is to report the news and not actually assist in creating it....
  jason alexander, 2 months ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I wont buy it again. My message is wake up. Resist British rule.Vote National Party.
  Kip Kane, 4 weeks ago. Abusive? Report it!