In this column the Conservative Shadow Scotland Secretary, Harriet Cross, tells readers that John Swinney answered her only with personal attacks. Other coverage of the same row shows he gave a substantive answer: he said her claim that the Scottish Government did not acknowledge Remembrance Sunday was categorically false, and set out the posts and events he relied on. The column's argument about the timing of the Bandi Chhor Divas post is her opinion and is not a finding.
Opinion piece: read for false claims of fact and for fairness to the people it names, not for its opinions.
Makes a false claim
Serious
“instead Swinney only gave personal attacks”
Why this matters
The words "only gave personal attacks" tell the reader that Swinney's whole response was abuse aimed at Cross, with no answer on the substance.
The impression it gives
A reader believes Swinney offered no explanation of how the Scottish Government marked Remembrance Sunday.
The context
The Daily Mail reported that Swinney gave a substantive reply. He said he attended the National Service of Remembrance, and that a post on the official First Minister account was reposted by the main Scottish Government X channel. A government spokesman added that images of events were posted to Scottish Government social media channels. Whether that answer satisfies Cross is a matter of opinion. That he gave one is on the record.
“branding the legitimate questions about his government’s handling of the day”
Why this matters
The column says Swinney objected to questions. Readers are left thinking he rebuked her simply for asking.
The impression it gives
A reader believes Swinney reacted to neutral questions about scheduling, not to a specific factual claim.
The context
The coverage shows Swinney rejected a specific assertion. Cross's letter said the Scottish Government had failed to mark Remembrance Sunday and showed a total disregard for soldiers' sacrifice. He called that assertion categorically false and asked her to withdraw it. The column never tells its reader what the claim was that Swinney disputed.
Swinney rejected my claim that the Scottish Government failed to mark Remembrance Sunday as categorically false. He pointed to his attendance at the service and to a First Minister post reposted by the main government account, but I believe questions about the 11am post remain.