Sir Sean Connery goes on the offensive against Scottish political journalists

Sir Sean Connery has criticised much of the press coverage of the Scottish parliament, claiming that hostile news paper reporting is more corrosive than the debacle over the Holyrood building project - reports the Sunday Herald (Scotland).

Writing for today’s Sunday Herald, Connery says the positive feelings that many Scots had for the parliament had been undermined by a press pack that has a “set agenda” to criticise Holyrood regardless of the facts. He also says that the treatment of MSPs by some newspapers had wider implications for the nation .

“In Scotland we have a parliament that is too weak, and a press that is too strong. With some notable exceptions, there is a press pack instinct to savage the MSPs and their work at any opportunity, and often unfairly.”

Connery adds: “The fact that some of the press managed to infiltrate the parliament’s security is obviously worrying. But I can’t help thinking that there’s a set agenda to have a go at Holyrood regardless, and fill in the ‘how’ later.”

He says that the mismanagement of the new building had “squandered a massive amount of goodwill” for the parliament, but notes that the key decisions over site, contract and design had been taken before the project was handed over to MSPs.

“As Lord Fraser’s report makes clear, the dumb decisions over the site, contract and design were all taken when London was in charge, long before the parliament was even elected.”

He argues that most of the mistakes during the ill-fated project were made by the old Scottish Office, a fact ignored by most newspapers.

“Holyrood wasn’t the fault of MSPs, but the press long since gave them the rap for it, even though the [Fraser] Inquiry has found otherwise.”

Connery adds that Jack Mc Connell was also to blame for the public’s hostility towards the parliament. He says its achievements had been made in spite of the efforts of the Executive.

“The trouble with many of the policies brought forward by the LibLab coalition in Scotland is that they have taken dullness to new lows. With no vision offered, people have simply switched off.”

This is the latest public spat involving the First Minister and the pro-independence actor. The pair clashed before Tartan Week this year when Connery said he didn’t want a one-to-one meeting with McConnell before the event in New York. A source close to the First Minister responded by saying that the Scottish Labour leader only wanted to be associated with actors “on the way up”.

Connery’s article also urges Scots to “move on” from the Fraser Report. He notes that few people wanted to scrap the parliament and says “over two thirds” of the population wanted more power to shift from London to Edinburgh.

He urges MSPs to work together to defend the par liament . “MSPs deserve a fair press for important work accomplished, and criticism when they fall short – nothing more or less. Whatever their other legitimate differences, MSPs should unite to defend the status and reputation of their – and our – parliament.”

He then has a word for those in the Scottish media: “If the MSPs and Executive ministers have to “raise their game” – and they do – then I would offer the same friendly advice to the publishers and editors of much of the Scottish media.”

Politicians last night queued up to back Connery, who is currently in Perthshire working on his autobiography.

Lord Steel, the former pre sid ing officer who once hit out at the Scottish press for its “bitch journalism”, said the actor’s comments were accurate.

“I have much sympathy with his argument, he does have a valid point. I would hope that after the Fraser Inquiry, we can concentrate on what is going on inside the building,” he said.

SSP Leader Tommy Sheridan said Connery’s piece reflected the growing anxiety about the “right-wing” press.

“Sir Sean is absolutely right to highlight the negative press coverage that the parliament gets. It’s extremely worrying that there are so many right-wing newspapers in a country that has a clear centre-left majority,” he said.

Connery is due to attend the parliament’s opening ceremony next month. The Edinburgh-born screen star will be part of the 1000-strong parade riding down the Royal Mile.

Thanks to `JP` for the alert.

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