WHAT do you do when you want to argue that the LibDems’ support in Scotland is the “backbone” of their recovery across the UK, but a pesky Scottish election held just months ago contradicts that line?
If you’re one of Novara Media’s data journalists, you ignore it altogether, apparently.
An article which appeared on the news site on August 30 gained a bit of unwanted attention when it was shared out on Twitter earlier today.
The piece was tweeted with the tagline: “Scotland looks to be the Lib Dems' only hope.” Terrible news for the party indeed, if true.
While the columnist never explicitly made this claim, the London-based website’s sub-heading did.
Scotland looks to be the Lib Dems' only hope.https://t.co/iqtuWQkVp9
— Novara Media (@novaramedia) August 31, 2021
The article itself says: “In Scotland, the [LibDems have] managed to make gains and solidify those gains even in the face of an SNP resurgence, suggesting that local campaigning and clear targeting can still produce success for the party.”
Yes, it really says that. Ignore that the 2019 General Election saw the LibDems leader lose her Scottish seat in Westminster to the SNP - something Alex Cole-Hamilton is perenially sore about.
It also claims: “It is Scotland that has proven to be the backbone of a potential LibDem resurgence”, highlighting the four Scots MPs won (out of 59) in the 2019 General Election.
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It then points to the party’s win in the Chesham and Amersham Westminster by-election in June 2021 as proof the LibDems “can still win seats”.
Nothing of any note can have happened between those two events, can it? No big elections or anything? Certainly not any that saw the LibDems lose enough support to even lose their status as a parliamentary group?
Except the Holyrood election of course. But that goes ignored.
In fact the Scottish parliament, devolution, and Holyrood are altogether omitted from the piece, something Twitter has not failed to notice.
One user wrote: "It’s so hilariously predictable that this article would talk about the LibDems’ electoral 'success' exclusively through the prism of Westminster elections, without a mention of the existence of Holyrood, or the fact the LibDems lost their 'major party' status in May. Hackery."
It’s so hilariously predictable that this article would talk about the Lib Dems’ electoral “success” exclusively through the prism of Westminster elections, without a mention of the existence of Holyrood, or the fact the Lib Dems lost their “major party” status in May.
— Fraz🏴🇪🇺 (@AFrazzledScot) August 31, 2021
Hackery. https://t.co/6SELmm33zY
Another added: "What the hell, this is so embarrassing. Do they know anything about Scottish politics?"
New Statesman data journalist Ben Walker, asked simply: "Really?"
Even some LibDems saw the nonsense in the claims that Scotland was their party's only hope.
One Tom Donnelly-Sutton, who is involved with the party, wrote: "This is a hilariously uneducated take masquerading as journalism. Scotland is important electorally but by no means an 'only hope'."
Other apparently LibDem accounts said that the party's hope lay in England...
Was unaware the Home Counties moved to Scotland https://t.co/x4gfd1XtS6
— A Lib Dem’s View 🔶 (@libdemview) August 31, 2021
Here are some more of Twitter's best reactions:
Screaming, send someone up to Scotland please I beg you https://t.co/emdllWieAm
— Lyndsay McCartney (@lfmccartney) August 31, 2021
Hey Siri, show me someone who pays no attention to UK politics whatsoever https://t.co/rGih1IVTQR
— Tom💐 (@TomHulme79) August 31, 2021
Worth a read for a giggle. Extraordinary. https://t.co/9jfhswHkVo
— Callum (@TheClashCallum) August 31, 2021
It's not too late to delete this and talk to someone (literally anyone) from Scotland https://t.co/k1owPG4TBn
— Tam Wilson (@tamwilson_) August 31, 2021
English left stop forgetting that devolved parliaments exist challenge https://t.co/rKsJA1iqHK
— CounterHegemon ☭🏴 (@GegenHegemonie2) August 31, 2021
Devolution: *exists*
— Fris (@frisealarainn) August 31, 2021
UK journalists: https://t.co/7zHBBMha7X pic.twitter.com/em4dhXCWld
So you're saying they have no hope? https://t.co/rpXWBVLoQq
— Holyrood Leuk (@HolyroodLeuk) August 31, 2021
@novaramedia I’m generally a fan of your content, I’ve donated a fair whack and you’ve said before you plan on improving your coverage of Scottish politics. Please tell me this is not representative of said plans. Really disappointing. https://t.co/G9ehKzKpw9
— John Hamelink (@john_hamelink) August 31, 2021
If you're interested in a piece about the Lib Dems in Scotland that acknowledges that there is more to politics than Westminster and English councils, then Twitter, do I have the analysis piece for you! https://t.co/dZhp9AgnTb https://t.co/uxsJOpmdSY
— Ballot Box Scotland (@BallotBoxScot) August 31, 2021
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