Leader: A step too far
IAN Davidson, Labour chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons, demonstrated the worst traits of the traditional Scottish hard man in his comments last week to SNP MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford.
In talking about her getting “a doing”, his language and behaviour were wrong, plain and simple. They reflected the confrontational and intimidatory attitudes common in much of contemporary politics, and – especially when directed at a woman who was the sole representative of her party on the committee – came close to bullying. It raised very important questions about the misogynistic atmosphere in Parliament. In objecting to Davidson’s behaviour, Whiteford was raising a legitimate issue about what is acceptable in political discourse – even when arguments are robust – and it should come as no surprise that most of the reaction to the spat has been supportive of her and critical of Davidson.
The difficulty now is Whiteford’s apparent determination – backed by the SNP machine – to take this argument up a notch or two. In her article today, the SNP MP extends her criticism of Davidson into new and dangerous territory. She writes: “We hear too often of women being told they were ‘asking for it’ in justification for intimidation or violence. I never expected to hear that from an MP in Parliament.” By any measure, this is an accusation too far. Davidson’s language was unacceptable, but does Whiteford really believe Davidson was meaning “a doing” in anything other than a metaphorical sense? His language was beyond the pale, but now so is hers.
One can only assume that the use of the phrase “asking for it” was thought through. But the phrase is not associated with justification of intimidation as Whiteford seeks to claim, but is quite plainly linked to violence against women, particularly domestic violence or sexual assault. Did Whiteford really think she was going to be physically attacked? That is absurd. And for Whiteford to equate Davidson’s behaviour with physical abusers of women, and her own experience last week with that of the many tens of thousands of women across Scotland who are the victims of violence, does those real victims a disservice. Whiteford should perhaps pause and reflect on whether she is being respectful to such women by using their suffering in what is increasingly looking like an attempt to wring maximum political advantage out of an unedifying episode. Whiteford may justly feel aggrieved, but she – and her party’s spin machine – has responsibilities beyond grabbing every opportunity to embarrass Labour. She just torpedoed her very deserving case.
Completely coincidentally, outgoing Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray yesterday complained of a “poison” in Scottish politics emanating from some sectors of the nationalist movement. The bile that comes from some “cybernats” on comment pages and social networking sites has long been acknowledged as an unpleasant fact of life in Scottish politics – and sensible Nationalist politicians recognise it as a problem. There is little the SNP can do about internet trolls venting their inadequacy online, but the party is responsible for the actions of its staff and elected members and shapes the overall culture.
It is hard to look at Whiteford’s “asking for it” remarks and at the same time mount a robust defence against Gray’s allegation. It is surely an allegation that a mature party of government would, in the coming months, seek to dispel. Yes, there is a place for straight-talking and standing up for your beliefs, but the “new politics” of post-expenses’ outrage was supposed to deliver a more honest and respectful relationship between the electorate and the elected. Surely that is the environment that all politicians should seek to create, and that lead should come from the top.
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Comments
There are 30 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Hector
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 08:13 PMIf Ian Davidson wasn't a labour MP he would probably be on the dole.
Danielrober2
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 09:28 AM# 28Prof Evil........... Goodness me, what kind of houshold did you grow up in?
Prof Evil
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 08:48 AMA Doin means a beating up. Plain and simple. Could have sexual connotations I suppose but in this context I assume he meant that he was gonna "do" her (alegedly!). So she need not have worried, just a black eye and broken nose maybe.
Danielrober2
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 08:04 AMWhat is a doing here is nay more than the wee borages stealing Glasgow’s glory.
Danielrober2
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 08:01 AMTo my grandmother ‘a doing’s’ meant a big fuss and bother. My Grandmother used t love the language of Glasgow, because it was rich, expressive and could say ‘work harder’ or ‘get back to work’ in about 20 different ways , including ‘a fuss and bother’. It also meant the same this when I went to visit Glasgow when I was younger and when I was at University there. Working class, yes working class families have many excellent words which often reach across social divides, just as middle class and upper class words do likewise. A doings is to make a great fuss and bother, and that older generation should not be attacked for because an opportunity to twist was seen and ruthlessly taken. The older generation of politicians protected and created many freedoms for use and their legacy should not be abused............................ This constant twisting of local dialects into meaning something else is a tragedy and an underhanded act. Yet again another great Scottish term is lost to a cheap political point scoring event. To take someone’s accent, dialect or language from them and twist it into something else is the worse form of THEFT.........................Stealing more and more from Glasgow, and the cities dialect is disgraceful....
VOTE YES
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 12:39 AM''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''The bile that comes from some “cybernats” on comment pages and social networking sites has long been acknowledged as an unpleasant fact of life in Scottish politics''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' NONSENSE - read the Brit nats and you'll actually see bile This article is just Brit nat propaganda
Arthur G
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 06:13 PMOK moderators. I'll put it another way. I would be very sure of my assertion that Ian Davidson will not be an MP following the next Westminster elections
Arthur G
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 06:10 PMPending Moderation
Red Etin
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 02:58 PM"bile that comes from some “cybernats”" Britnat trolls are on the other hand quite acceptable?
bannerfield
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 12:39 PM#19 You've not read the article. There was no justification of Davidson. It highlights the unacceptable attempt by Eilidh Whiteford to try and conflate what Davidson said with the physical abuse of women.
Indy
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 12:36 PMA leader is like a piece of string if you pull it the people can follow your example if you push it you'll get nowhere. The SoS seams to support those who push rather than someone who walked away from bullying.
fourbyfour
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 12:23 PMSoS sinking to the level of the gutter press. Shame on your shabby attempt to justify Davidson's behaviour!
bannerfield
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 11:51 AM"There is little the SNP can do about internet trolls venting their inadequacy online, but the party is responsible for the actions of its staff and elected members and shapes the overall culture.".............Wise words indeed
auchrannie1
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 11:15 AMProud Doonhammer...On sunday 16th October 2011 I watched the Politics Show Scotland and saw Iain Davidson act like an overbearing bully in his dealings with an SNP representative on the programme.It seems Mr Davidson finds it impossible handle any dealings with the SNP rationally?. Incidently, when I later tried to view the above programme on the BBCiplayer it was unavailable due to "copyright problems".I make my comments on what I saw and belong to no political party!!!
Indy
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 10:17 AMDavidson cannot be saved from this and this Newspaper is telling the world just how Labour biased it is by trying to turn this on the victim. Disgraceful!!
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