Brexit debates: '˜Insulting if London broadcasters exclude the SNP'

Nicola Sturgeon should be included in any Brexit debate, a Scotsman reader writes.

By The Newsroom Thursday, 29th November 2018, 5:08 pm Updated Thursday, 29th November 2018, 5:10 pm

It is insulting for London broadcasters to continually exclude the SNP from Brexit debates, not least as Nicola Sturgeon’s Norway-plus solution is gaining support at Westminster.

On Monday, BBC Newsnight had an extensive Brexit debate with five MPs but no SNP representative as the third largest party at Westminster and second largest in the UK in terms of membership.

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: PA

Sky News proposes holding a leaders’ debate in which both participants back Brexit but excluding Nicola Sturgeon, who would be the only leader arguing for EU freedom of movement plus full membership of the single market and customs union which was backed overwhelmingly by our Scottish Parliament.

Scotland voted to remain, we have consistently had a different voice in this debate and people throughout the UK deserve to hear a progressive alternative to the little Englander Brexit mentality.

It was impossible to view our First Minister’s press conference or even extended highlights on BBC or ITV or Channel 4 to find out the Scottish Government’s assessment of Theresa May’s deal, which will cost everyone in Scotland £1,600, and Nicola Sturgeon’s road map on the way forward. BBC Scotland TV news coverage then proceeded to trivialise the event with a pantomime sketch and only aired nine seconds of Nicola Sturgeon’s speech.

Like Theresa May, who refused access for the only independence-suppporting newspaper to her Glasgow press conference, London-centric broadcasters don’t really care about Scotland.