Tag Archives: The National

Interviewed about public reaction to Nicola Sturgeon appearance on Kuenssberg show

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Memes posted in aftermath of Nicola Sturgeon interview on Laura Kuenssberg show

Yesterday I was interviewed by Steph Brawn (The National). We discussed the public reaction to former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interview on the BBC Laura Kuenssberg show. Many online commenters have questioned her claims that she was completely unaware of estranged husband Peter Murrell’s embezzlement of SNP party funds.

The article features some excellent insight from University of Strathclyde media expert Michael Higgins. Some excerpts from my contribution are below:

“I think if a politician comes out and says ‘yes I did it’ or apologises they are viewed as weak and it’s a reflection of how partisan politics has become, particularly with people calling things online,”

“They are quick to judge, and since Nicola Sturgeon stood down I think there are probably a lot of people who are critical of her and this is another weapon to beat her with, so I don’t think there’s anything she could say that was not going to meet a certain response”

“Of course, there are people who are very pro-Nicola Sturgeon defending her online and that reflects the fact that people are in these separate camps and they’re not likely to change their mind as a result of the revelations.”

Many thanks to Steph for the interview. It can be read in full here.

Interviewed about online abuse directed at Scottish journalists

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This week my colleague Catherine Happer and I were interviewed about the normalisation of abuse against journalists in Scotland. The article, published in The National, explored how politicians delegitmise the media and dismiss critical coverage as ‘fake news’. There have even been recent incidents of political aides grabbing journalists mid-question. This abuse of journalists is particularly ominous as we enter the final stages of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

A few of my quotes from the article are below:

“It feels as if we are heading in the same direction as the US under Trump,” says Dr Paul Reilly, a Senior Lecturer in Communication, Media and Democracy at the University of Glasgow. “We see UK politicians dismissing critical media coverage as ‘fake news’, trying to avoid legitimate questions from the press by questioning their integrity and motives”

Farage is a case in point, Dr Reilly argues. “Farage has issued statements claiming he was going to boycott the BBC and yet still appears on their programmes,” he says. The contradiction only makes sense if you see the boycott threat as performance: a way to present himself as a victim of a hostile establishment while continuing to use its platforms.

Dr Reilly makes the same point from a different angle. “It certainly reinforces and strengthens existing patterns of distrust in our media and political institutions,” he says.

“It is little wonder that journalists are subjected to abuse and hostility online. Social media users frequently see video footage of political leaders accusing journalists of fabricating stories or trying to smear them – all because they are asking uncomfortable questions or scrutinising the actions and policies of our politicians.”

Dr Reilly cites this evidence, adding: “I would be worried that this trend may result in journalists being threatened, or worse still, attacked by members of the public.”

“This is one of the roots of the information crisis that has seen members of the public become increasingly disillusioned with democracy,” he warns.

Many thanks to Laura Pollock for the interview, which can be read here.

Interviewed about Trump administration’s social media activity

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

Last Friday I spoke to Hamish Morrison of The National. We discussed the Trump administration’s use of neo-Nazi references on social media. In the past few weeks, several US agencies have posted content directly referencing white supremacist figures like Willam Gayley Simpson.

I suggested that this was both an attempt to distract from the crises facing the Trump administration and a reflection of the attitudes of those close to the president. Som quotes are below:
“It’s not coincidence, it’s not an accident. It is something which is strategic communication and they must see value in that.”

“They’re reflecting back what they see from people who are supportive of,for example, ICE’s activity in Minnesota last week [the killing of Renee Nicole Good] or the Trump administration itself” 
“It’s choosing not to talk to the entire room, talking to a very small segment of it and that could be very politically damaging for Trump.” 

I also discussed how there are contradictory reports about who is posting content on behalf of Trump. It seems that nobody is dialling down his rhetoric. This will have a very negative impact on how the Republicans fare in the midterm elections later this year.

Many thanks to Hamish for the interview, and to Charlotte Morris for arranging it. The article can be read in full here.























































The National interview on anti-far-right summit in Scotland

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I was quoted in an article by The National’s Steph Brawn on the anti-far right summit in Scotland.

I argued that there was too much focus on the spectacle of the rise of Reform. The Scottish political mainstream needs to test their policies on issues like immigration and offer viable alternatives. The rise of parties like Reform is due to a breakdown in trust in political institutions, which will take a long time to recover from. However the first step must be to inject facts into debates over immigration and to avoid leaning into emotional narratives that inflame tensions further.

Many thanks to Steph for the opportunity and Charlotte Morris for arranging it.

The article can be read in full here

Interviewed for The National on social media and protests in Glasgow

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Article in The National, 8 August 2024

On Wednesday I spoke to Hamish Morrison from The National about the list of far-right protests in Scotland circulated on social media. We discussed how far-right groups used apps like Telegram to organise, the threat of misinformation during the recent riots in England, and how best to respond to false information circulating online.

Thanks to Hamish and Charlotte Morris for the invitation. The article can be read here.