A Google news search returns 5,240 results for “Ferguslie Park” over the last 24 hours. As compared to 0 mentions in the previous 24 hours.
The media have, with an incredible level of unanimity, seized upon a Tory being elected to represent Ferguslie Park, “the most deprived area of Scotland”, as the leading evidence of a Tory resurgence into areas of Scotland “they could not previously venture into”. I have heard this recounted on every available broadcast platform this evening.
I have two bits of news for the unionist media. Firstly, Ferguslie Park is in Paisley. Most of you think it is in Glasgow. Secondly there is no ward called Ferguslie Park. There is a place called Ferguslie Park, and it is less than half of a ward called Paisley Northwest. Now here is the result of that stunning Tory super-victory amazing spectacular miraculous shocking earth-shattering mould-breaking Tory triumph in Paisley Northwest.
My, how the ground shook. In future years, everybody will recall just exactly where they were at the moment the Conservatives polled 13% in Paisley North West, when that vast uprising of 657 voters swept their candidate to victory on the 10th set of transfers into the fourth available slot in a multi-member constituency.
Now, this will come as a shock to some people. Paisley North West is not a dreadful slum, and contains some distinctly prosperous areas. Much of the ward looks like this.
Here are some statistics for the entire ward.
65% of households in Paisley North West are owner occupied
67% of the population of Paisley North West are employed, self employed or full time students
5.1% of the population of Paisley North West are unemployed
23% of the population of Paisley North West are pensioners
4.9% are housewives/husbands/carers or not in the labour force
In a local election poll with a low turnout, there is a disproportionately high turnout from pensioners and from the wealthier districts. Very few indeed of those measly 657 Tory votes came from the Ferguslie Park estate.
The real story is that in a ward with 65% owner-occupiers and 67% economically active, the Tories could still only manage a measly 13% of the vote. That the large majority of £350,000 owner occupiers do not vote Tory. The real story is that the SNP took 44% to the Tories 13%. But no, the march of Ruth’s 13%ers has apparently changed the course of history. As Tom Robinson once sang, “It’s there in the papers, must be the truth”.
If the Tory press spun any more they’d be doing donuts in Tescos car park
When it comes to spinning the snp are experts
And out of the no doubt hundreds of examples, what’s your favourite spun story Don ?
There is also the distinct possibility that many of the Tory candidate’s votes came from people who actually intended their vote to go to a prominent local activist with the same name, who had to have his middle name on the ballot only because of the name clash.
Dont know if you saw this Craig Murray https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10207007597826798&id=1785203724
We should know not to believe!! But if you tell people something often enough they will believe it !! So maybe the labour party should start telling lies ???? but Mr Corbyn doesn’t do that
Good analysis of the situation . I am sending this to my daughter in Brooklyn as she is puzzled by the media portrayal of these local elections. Your blog helps on this Paisley Northwest result.
Ruth Davidson must be so gratified to see the reactions in the Press! Smiling now, but as an intelligent person she must be shamed by other political criticisms of the “Conservative Surge”!
Thanks for clarifying this. It needs to be published/broadcast far and wide .
Pardon my ignorance, it’s probably that, but…why is Auntie reporting Local shopkeeper from League of Gentlemen lookalike Thomas Kerr as the champion of Shettleston ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39830851
I know it’s lookist, and not very nice, but check out his wee g!mp pal too. A real political giant, in the making.
I’m asking myself, will all information shown be in some way be sent down south in an effective manner to show the real situation, or will it just be left to those who just share.
When I was growing up in Paisley in the 1970s, young people from the ‘sink estates’ of Ferguslie Park were known pejoratively by the quasi-Dickensian term, ‘Fegs’ (possibly to distinguish them from, ‘Neds’). But much of that housing has gone now.
Anyway, back in the 1970s, there were very many working class Tories in Scotland (and not just the Orange Lodge) and also many Conservative MPs. Lots of people had a photo on The Queen on their wall. I went to Paisley Grammar school and certainly until it started streaming (1969-1975) and then no longer streaming (1976, onwards) from local comprehensives my overriding impression was that most of the pupils there (children largely of lower/professional/business middle-class/skilled working class/petit bourgeoisie) were avowed Conservative supporters. That really died away during the course of the 1980s with the Thatcherite assault. But now it may be returning in a somewhat different guise. Yes, of course, the media is exaggerating it. But it is happening at some level. Also, repeated social attitudes’ surveys have suggested that actually, attitudes in Scotland to a whole host of things are not that different – they are slightly different – from those in England.
Always manage to make sense if things Craig. When I see a piece written by you , I generally know I will like it and agree with your research and conclusions. Thank you