David Maddox: The adventures of War Monkey
Mike Russell headed to Inverkeithing Primary School for his first media photo-op as the Scottish education secretary (designate) and was met there by a decent sized crowd of political press hacks.He did the tour and then came in for a posed chat with a selection of distinctly nervous looking school children from various classes.
As he sat down with them, he breezily asked one: "What are you reading?" And then slightly choked as he read the title: "Oh, it's War Monkey."
Perhaps symbolic of what some believe is his new role given that he has to go into battle for the organ grinder (Alex Salmond) with Scotland's councils over education in the coming days.
But, what followed was not a good sign for what is to come, especially if he is looking for good press on a difficult issue for the Scottish Government.
Instead of facing questions from the assembled journalists of the written media, who had been waiting for an hour, Mr Russell decided that it was a greater priority to do his bit for government propaganda.
So he prioritised answering some banal questions for the Scottish Government website rather than searching ones from the fourth estate, cutting down the time available to question him on policy and the difficult issues ahead.
It was not clear who made this decision. Colin McAllister, the party spin doctor for education on the government pay role, should take much of the responsibility for not taking a grip on the situation and apparently leaving the decision to a junior press officer. Mr Russell, as an ex-media man himself, should have known better too.
But whoever is to blame, to put the government website first will do nothing to improve the SNP's image.
Labels: Colin McAllister, David Maddox, Mike Russell, War Monkey
posted by Administrator at
13:32
18 Comments:
God forbid that Mike Russell give the cold shoulder to "the members of the 4th estate" eh !
With the smell of cybernat blood fresh in their nostrils, all hail to the almighty omnipotent "4th estate". They suddenly think that they're pushing all the buttons and moving all the levers now...
I'd like to say what I think but unfortunately the Scotsman thinks my criticism of Mr Maddox is unfair so they are deleting my posts. So; well done David, another wonderfully incisive, balanced article. Is that better Scotsman Admin?
Oh dear Scotsman/Mr Maddox,
Has even you humour deserted you?
I mention your irony bypass and the post is incised.
What is this paper reducing itself to?
A laughing stock would be my assessment, if you can't even laugh at yourself or along with a joke, it is unreasonable to expect others not to fill the void.
Feel free to 'edit' this harmless post too.
Truly sad.
Yes, well done Mr Maddox.
Another triumph for incisive journalism.
A pleasure indeed to read your articles.
Is that better....or should I stand in the corner some more?
I will not attempt to be humorous.
I will not attempt to be humorous.
I will not attempt to be humorous.
I will............ach you get the point.
'And then slightly choked as he read the title: "Oh, it's War Monkey."'
Obviously, for a moment there he thought it was War Dog
Cowardice in the face of the enemy, is a very sassunach trait.
''if he is looking for good press on a difficult issue for the Scottish Government'' he'd be bloody daft wouldn't he.
David
Thank you first of all for another wonderful well-balanced article. Thank you also for deleting my posts from last night without a word of explanation. It seems freedom of speech is a one-way street.
Perhaps symbolic of what some believe is his new role given that he has to go into battle for the organ grinder (Alex Salmond)
Hmm, so unless you're a party leader you're a monkey.
Since the Scottish Conservative Party, the Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrat party only exist in popular imagination not in the register of the Electoral Commission it's nice to know you regard Goldie, Gray and Scott as monkeys dancing for their organ grinders in Westminster.
It's what I've thought for years.
Agreeing with David Maddox is an odd feeling.
"Colin McAllister, the party spin doctor for education on the government pay role..."
For someone who relies so completely on these spin doctors for their job, you express considerable contempt for them. If hacks stopped taking anonymous briefings from the spin doctors, and demanded everything on the record from the politicians, there would be no need for these advisers, at anyone's expense. Why do you take stories from them if you object to the way that they are paid?
Do you attend the Scottish Government's annual reception for jounalists, paid for by the taxpayer?
Why does the Scotsman take job adverts and planning notices, paid for by the taxpayer? The taxpayers are paying your wages too.
David Maddox, you are a disgrace to proper journalistic standards. Not own do you regularly lie and spread misinformation in your writings. But you do everything in your power to silence any criticism of your obvious ethical shortcomings. Do the world a favour and find a different career.
So the gist is: Mike Russell speaks to Scottish Government website funded by the taxpayer, and freely available to anyone with access to a computer = bad; Mike Russell dingies waiting hacks from newspapers a minority pay for and/or ensure advertising from, plus another fiver a month if you're a Johnston Press hack = bad.
Hmmm, I can really see your point there, David.
Callum Roxburgh, I said the same sort of thing a few hours ago and got deleted, watch this space!
Congratulations David.Managing to turn Lord Foulkes disgraceful slandering of Alex Salmond into an anti SNP rant, is spin worthy of a master.
David. Man you're wearing your heart on your sleeve here.
David,
One of the thing I don't understand - okay one of the many things I don't understand - is why are comments allowed on your article here but not on the main Scotsman site? The comments above seem to be roughly in the same vein as the comments on the main site.
Will you be doing on article on here about the comments from, the tax-payer exorbitantly funded, Lord Foulkes about Salmond and will you be demanding that Iain Gray reprimand him? I'd sure like to be a fly on the wall during that conversation.
Well Brownlie I think comments are allowed here because this is a blog, not part of the main newspaper. Mr Maddox doesn't need to post here, it's his choice and his views.
I am sure we would all like to know his views on Lord Foulkes behaviour, but it's up to him if he comments.
Observer,
Perhaps he could get the views of the oft-quoted senior Labour spokesperson?
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