Graeme Downie MP has pressed the UK Government over steps to counter foreign interference in Scotland’s constitutional debate, with Ian Murray giving what have turned out to be some of his final responses as Secretary of State for Scotland before his removal from office yesterday.
In a series of written questions on Friday, Downie asked about efforts to address “social media intervention by foreign states seeking to influence the debate on Scotland’s constitutional status.”
Murray replied that “protecting our democracy is one of the Government’s highest priorities. The Defending Democracy Taskforce was set up to tackle threats including, but not limited to, election security. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats.”
On coordination with the Scottish Government, he said: “I speak regularly with the Deputy First Minister, and my officials frequently engage with their Scottish Government counterparts. National security is the responsibility of the UK Government and protecting our democracy is one of our highest priorities.”
Murray confirmed that he had not recently met the Foreign Secretary on the issue but pointed again to the Home Office-led Defending Democracy Taskforce, which he said was designed “to tackle threats facing our entire democracy – including, but not limited to, election security.”
Something needs to be done.
I’m sure Putin, the Mullahs and Kim Jong Un would go into ecstasies if they could break up the UK. Actually the best defence would be to restart the debate on changing the constitution of the UK, which does need a makeover.
yes they would as it would severely weaken Nato
More than that, I would go further. The UK is currently holding ‘the West’ together. Psalm 106: v 23
“So he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him
to keep his wrath from destroying them.”
The UK’s unwritten constitution seems to endure and has lasted far longer than any of the modern alternatives.
If it aint broke don’t fix it.
Its creaking at the seams. If we want to disapply the Human Rights act we would need an up to date Bill of rights to prevent state overreach in its dealings with the individual. I am also concerned to see Belfast style flags appearing on the mainland. At some point we need to revisit the Act of Settlement.
The constitution is absolutely fine. The Act of Settlement is exactly that an act of parliament. Parliament can revoke or update legislation as per the wishes of it’s democratically elected members. Acts which might have made sense 300 years ago can be revised within the existing constitution. Again the Human Rights act can be changed to reflect the challenges we face today.
Attempts in the past to tinker with the British constitution have normally ended in failure. This constitution has moved from an absolute monarchy to one of the best democracies in the world with the Monarchy playing a vital role in limiting the excesses of any elected Government which might go rogue.
Ok, I’ll rephrase that; the acts of parliament which constitute the constitution are creaking at the seams. Personally, i would breath easier in a republic.
The problem is how do you protect against political warfare in the age of rampant and unfettered social media access. With algorithms that are actually designed to trigger your primitive mind and overload it with threat and trigger the brain’s reward centres.
Sadly the way social media works in its present form means I’m not sure it’s conducive to liberal western democracies surviving.
It’s warping our views, our politics and our societies at a profoundly fast rate.
Well It seems like George is playing GOD now over who can comment on here and what they can say.
Censorship wrapped up in Ego.
Pretty simple, we can just switch it off,
Pass a law that says if you’re writing anything to more than 50 people then you need a broadcasting license.
Some will be able to bypass it but the majority won’t
Ban 24 hour cable news as well because that’s what started all this s**t
Ban US news in the UK and the never ending Donald Trump feed
News is not entertainment
You can leave print media in place for people to express free opinion just regulated broadcast media like we have done for nearly 100 years. Simply change the definition of digital media from print to broadcast. News programs should be limited to 30 minutes a day on any TV channel with a maximum of three broadcast a day at 1pm 6pm and 10pm
Simples
Dear Simples:
I see you have gone off your medication again.
And there we have the proof a man who thinks Scottish school girls arm themselves with tomahawks to protect themselves from the gangs of immigrant gangs roaming the streets of Scotland looking for unarmed school girls…. All because someone on social media told him it was the truth.
Maybe 😀
However we should not start thinking the problems of social media abuse or rampant illegal migration cannot be solved with a change in the law.
That’s why we have parliament to change the law when problems arise.
It really is the simple although I’ll be the first to agree simple actions may have wider consequences.
But people need to stop feeling helpless, those feelings are far more dangerous.
Jim, can’t reply, sorry.