I was seeking opinion in the office this week about what people thought of the Nicola Sturgeon debacle. The overwhelming majority of people, regardless of political opinion, thought that she was a competent politician who could be trusted and in no way should she resign
This reinforced my thought that this whole thing has been blown out of all proportion. Of course opposition parties are going to try to gain political capital wherever they can, but come on.
This country is barely limping out of the worst economic crisis it has encountered in the last eighty years and there may be another crisis just around the corner. We face a tough choice between two different approaches to get the economy back on track. We have a government who seems to be delaying taking forward an independence referendum until they have 129 SNP MSPs.
In short, we have serious issues that are worthy of time and debate.
However, we find ourselves again embroiled in an utterly futile spat. Yet again, I find all this cross party fighting just to score cheap points off one another thoroughly demoralising. It is why people turn off from politics.
How is this going to benefit me? How is this going to get me back in work? If I am in work, how is this going to reduce the amount of tax I have to pay? How is this going to cut my energy bills? How is this going to put food on the table, so I can feed my kids?
Nicola Sturgeon may not have showed the greatest judgement when it came to defending a convicted criminal, but when it really mattered to most of us, she showed impeccable judgement. Her handling of the Swine Flu outbreak helped to keep a calm lid on things, when the media and others were doing their best to whip up a frenzy.
So how about this for an idea? Why don’t MSPs concentrate on making Scotland a better place? And here is the big idea! Why don’t they work together to make this happen? After all, that is what we elect them for.
Why don’t they look at introducing measures to increase the life expectancy of Scottish people, which is currently the lowest in Europe? Why don’t they collectively look at reducing Scottish dependency on alcohol? Why don’t they try and deal with the 600,000 people currently on disability benefits? Why don’t they discuss ways to boost the Scottish economy? Why…….?
That would be a much better way to spend their collective time, rather than discussing whether an MSP should write a letter in support of one of their constituents.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Friday, 5 February 2010
Edging Closer
The closer we get to the election, the more exciting things are getting!
The situation is changing on a daily basis. One day, the Labour Party come away from the Chilcot enquiry feeling like victors, then the next, three Labour MPs are being prosecuted for alleged dodgy expenses.
Meanwhile the Tories are riding a crest of a wave. Yes, they are the saviours of the economy. They have the tough measures necessary to sort everything out. Wait a minute, the polls don’t like that you say? Retreat!
Over at Lib Dem HQ, they have issued everyone in their party with Vince Cable masks. His is the only Lib Dem face to be seen on TV, which is good news for them as he is the about the only one that is listened to.
The SNP are too busy lunching to have any time for TV.
A couple of developments in Scottish seats, could provide a little added interest. Nigel Griffiths has had enough of the House of Commons and all it has to offer, in favour of a “once in a lifetime job offer.” The wafer thin majority he enjoyed over the Lib Dems in Edinburgh South could well be put to the test.
Of course, Jim Devine had already shelved any ideas he had of defending his Livingston seat. Now the Crown Prosecution Service has put the final nail in by charging Devine and three others with falsely claiming parliamentary expense. However, Labour had a 30% lead in Livingston, so it would be a huge ask for anyone to pull that back.
Finally Cathy Jamieson has secured the Labour nomination for Kilmarnock and Louden. Margaret Curran is fighting Glasgow East again and there is talk of Wendy Alexander possibly standing in West Dunbartonshire. A mass exodus of high profile figures from the Scottish Parliament.
Is that a reflection of Iain Gray’s leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland?
The situation is changing on a daily basis. One day, the Labour Party come away from the Chilcot enquiry feeling like victors, then the next, three Labour MPs are being prosecuted for alleged dodgy expenses.
Meanwhile the Tories are riding a crest of a wave. Yes, they are the saviours of the economy. They have the tough measures necessary to sort everything out. Wait a minute, the polls don’t like that you say? Retreat!
Over at Lib Dem HQ, they have issued everyone in their party with Vince Cable masks. His is the only Lib Dem face to be seen on TV, which is good news for them as he is the about the only one that is listened to.
The SNP are too busy lunching to have any time for TV.
A couple of developments in Scottish seats, could provide a little added interest. Nigel Griffiths has had enough of the House of Commons and all it has to offer, in favour of a “once in a lifetime job offer.” The wafer thin majority he enjoyed over the Lib Dems in Edinburgh South could well be put to the test.
Of course, Jim Devine had already shelved any ideas he had of defending his Livingston seat. Now the Crown Prosecution Service has put the final nail in by charging Devine and three others with falsely claiming parliamentary expense. However, Labour had a 30% lead in Livingston, so it would be a huge ask for anyone to pull that back.
Finally Cathy Jamieson has secured the Labour nomination for Kilmarnock and Louden. Margaret Curran is fighting Glasgow East again and there is talk of Wendy Alexander possibly standing in West Dunbartonshire. A mass exodus of high profile figures from the Scottish Parliament.
Is that a reflection of Iain Gray’s leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland?
Friday, 1 January 2010
Happy New Year
Happy New Year!
As we say goodbye to one decade and enter into another one, we immediately encounter a problem. What will we call it? Because everything these days has to have a name. Suggestions have included “2010s”, “teens” and even “ten-sions”. No doubt someone, somewhere will get paid millions to think of something suitable.
Political tensions will certainly be evident in 2010 though as the election campaign gathers pace. Gordon Brown is promising a decade of “shared prosperity” if you vote Labour. I seem to recall the same person claiming to have ended the boom and bust cycle, so forgive my scepticism!
Meanwhile, David Cameron is claiming that a hung parliament would be a bad thing, yet is advocating consensus politics. Now I would have thought that the best way to ensure consensus politics is to have a hung parliament.
Alex Salmond is talking hot air. More specifically, about Scotland becoming the energy powerhouse of Europe.
The Lib Dems are saying that Leaders should show their convictions. Whatever that means!
Anyway, these are the opening salvos in the run up to the General Election, the date of which will no doubt still be giving Labour a problem. With the sad unexpected death of North West Leicestershire MP David Taylor, Labour will be under pressure to call a by-election. However, they will not want to potentially hand any momentum to the Tory party, who could easily take this seat. So does this make an early election more likely? Or will they want to hold off until their budget changes (bribes!) begin to kick-in in April?
We should begin to get answers to these questions in February.
As we say goodbye to one decade and enter into another one, we immediately encounter a problem. What will we call it? Because everything these days has to have a name. Suggestions have included “2010s”, “teens” and even “ten-sions”. No doubt someone, somewhere will get paid millions to think of something suitable.
Political tensions will certainly be evident in 2010 though as the election campaign gathers pace. Gordon Brown is promising a decade of “shared prosperity” if you vote Labour. I seem to recall the same person claiming to have ended the boom and bust cycle, so forgive my scepticism!
Meanwhile, David Cameron is claiming that a hung parliament would be a bad thing, yet is advocating consensus politics. Now I would have thought that the best way to ensure consensus politics is to have a hung parliament.
Alex Salmond is talking hot air. More specifically, about Scotland becoming the energy powerhouse of Europe.
The Lib Dems are saying that Leaders should show their convictions. Whatever that means!
Anyway, these are the opening salvos in the run up to the General Election, the date of which will no doubt still be giving Labour a problem. With the sad unexpected death of North West Leicestershire MP David Taylor, Labour will be under pressure to call a by-election. However, they will not want to potentially hand any momentum to the Tory party, who could easily take this seat. So does this make an early election more likely? Or will they want to hold off until their budget changes (bribes!) begin to kick-in in April?
We should begin to get answers to these questions in February.
Monday, 21 December 2009
Final Countdown
As a well-known Europe song goes, it’s “The Final Countdown.”
The government is rapidly running out of time to call an election. If ever there was an argument for moving towards fixed term elections, then this and Gordon Brown’s earlier indecision about calling a snap election, surely makes it.
There are two favoured dates at the moment, March 25th and May 6th. The final date will depend on the one Labour thinks will give them the greatest advantage.
Judging by the polls, it looks like Labour is going to need all the help they can get. The Tories are constantly polling double digit leads. However, due to the First Past the Post voting system, this may not automatically convert into a huge majority in the House of Commons.
So it promises to be one of the more interesting General Elections of the last twenty years. But the election would just be the beginning of the of the interesting times. For imagine the Tories win. What will the interaction between Holyrood and Westminster be like then? How will the public in Scotland react to the inevitable massive public spending cuts? What will be the effect on support for Scottish independence, given the Tories will barely have a handful of MPs in Scotland? Will the Tories introduce a two tier Westminster, whereby MPs of devolved nations aren’t allowed to vote on certain issues?
If that were to be the case, it would leave you wondering why any serious Scottish politician would want to leave Holyrood and become a second class MP. But that is exactly what Cathy Jamieson hopes to do as she is fighting for selection in Kilmarnock & Louden, the seat being vacated by Scottish Secretary Des Browne.
The big question is, will her face fit? With the idiosyncrasies of the Labour selection process, where loyalty counts for more than talent, then you never know.
That is one of the main reasons why I think people are becoming so disenchanted with politicians and politics. There are very few politicians left who are likely to vote on their principles if this means voting against their party. And the ones that do have the guts, will face de-selection by their party at the earliest opportunity.
This and the apparent filling your boots expenses scandal may just have snapped the patience of the electorate. Indeed just yesterday, the public (although not all of voting age) showed just how much they disliked being told what to do by spurning the red hot favourite for Christmas Number One, for a 16 year old classic by Rage Against The Machine.
A few Scottish constituencies that may be worth keeping an eye on are:
Banff & Buchan – Alex Salmond is standing down and although it is an ultra safe SNP seat, how much of it is to do with Salmond and how much the SNP?
Dumfries and Galloway – Could be one of the few Tory gains in Scotland with a swing of just 3% needed from Labour.
Dumfrieshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale – The Tories have a 4% lead over Labour here and need to hold on if they have any aspirations of power.
Dundee East – It is a toss up between SNP and Labour.
Edinburgh South – Can the Lib Dems overturn Labour’s wafer thin majority?
Glasgow East – Can John Mason hold onto his seat won in the recent by-election?
Livingston – What effect will Devine-Gate ( or should that be shelf! ) have?
Ochil & South Perthshire – See Dundee East.
Perth & North Perthshire – The Tories only need a 2% swing from the SNP to take it.
So with a fascinating General Election imminent, the immortal words of a former Scottish Labour Leader spring to mind.
Bring it on!
The government is rapidly running out of time to call an election. If ever there was an argument for moving towards fixed term elections, then this and Gordon Brown’s earlier indecision about calling a snap election, surely makes it.
There are two favoured dates at the moment, March 25th and May 6th. The final date will depend on the one Labour thinks will give them the greatest advantage.
Judging by the polls, it looks like Labour is going to need all the help they can get. The Tories are constantly polling double digit leads. However, due to the First Past the Post voting system, this may not automatically convert into a huge majority in the House of Commons.
So it promises to be one of the more interesting General Elections of the last twenty years. But the election would just be the beginning of the of the interesting times. For imagine the Tories win. What will the interaction between Holyrood and Westminster be like then? How will the public in Scotland react to the inevitable massive public spending cuts? What will be the effect on support for Scottish independence, given the Tories will barely have a handful of MPs in Scotland? Will the Tories introduce a two tier Westminster, whereby MPs of devolved nations aren’t allowed to vote on certain issues?
If that were to be the case, it would leave you wondering why any serious Scottish politician would want to leave Holyrood and become a second class MP. But that is exactly what Cathy Jamieson hopes to do as she is fighting for selection in Kilmarnock & Louden, the seat being vacated by Scottish Secretary Des Browne.
The big question is, will her face fit? With the idiosyncrasies of the Labour selection process, where loyalty counts for more than talent, then you never know.
That is one of the main reasons why I think people are becoming so disenchanted with politicians and politics. There are very few politicians left who are likely to vote on their principles if this means voting against their party. And the ones that do have the guts, will face de-selection by their party at the earliest opportunity.
This and the apparent filling your boots expenses scandal may just have snapped the patience of the electorate. Indeed just yesterday, the public (although not all of voting age) showed just how much they disliked being told what to do by spurning the red hot favourite for Christmas Number One, for a 16 year old classic by Rage Against The Machine.
A few Scottish constituencies that may be worth keeping an eye on are:
Banff & Buchan – Alex Salmond is standing down and although it is an ultra safe SNP seat, how much of it is to do with Salmond and how much the SNP?
Dumfries and Galloway – Could be one of the few Tory gains in Scotland with a swing of just 3% needed from Labour.
Dumfrieshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale – The Tories have a 4% lead over Labour here and need to hold on if they have any aspirations of power.
Dundee East – It is a toss up between SNP and Labour.
Edinburgh South – Can the Lib Dems overturn Labour’s wafer thin majority?
Glasgow East – Can John Mason hold onto his seat won in the recent by-election?
Livingston – What effect will Devine-Gate ( or should that be shelf! ) have?
Ochil & South Perthshire – See Dundee East.
Perth & North Perthshire – The Tories only need a 2% swing from the SNP to take it.
So with a fascinating General Election imminent, the immortal words of a former Scottish Labour Leader spring to mind.
Bring it on!
Saturday, 10 October 2009
We Are All In This Together
“We are all in this together.”
No, it is not the words to the High School Musical, although they were delivered with the elegance of a high school teacher.
George Osborne, Chancellor in waiting, took time out from counting his millions, to deliver a gloomy financial outlook for the next few years. The Tory audience looked visibly shocked when he announced that he would be unable to reduce the top rate of income tax for the foreseeable future.
They soon cheered up though when Osborne announced that the Public Sector was effectively getting a pay cut.
Now I see what he means when he says we are all in this together.
Our Scotland
No, it is not the words to the High School Musical, although they were delivered with the elegance of a high school teacher.
George Osborne, Chancellor in waiting, took time out from counting his millions, to deliver a gloomy financial outlook for the next few years. The Tory audience looked visibly shocked when he announced that he would be unable to reduce the top rate of income tax for the foreseeable future.
They soon cheered up though when Osborne announced that the Public Sector was effectively getting a pay cut.
Now I see what he means when he says we are all in this together.
Our Scotland
Friday, 26 June 2009
The World We Live In
Last night I heard the news as did everyone of the sad passing of Michael Jackson. To be honest it didn't affect me nearly as much as the death of Kurt Cobain did back in 1994, but no-one wants to see someone go well before they reach old age.
Anyway, I had to go to Glasgow Fort today for a few things, so thought I would pop into HMV just to see if there was anything worth buying.
On the way up to the door, I heard they were playing Jackson's music. I thought that was nice. A kind of tribute.
I can't believe how naive I was!
On entering the store, immediately as you went in, there was a stand with loads of Jackson merchandise on it for sale.
The guy had barely been dead 12 hours, yet they were ready to capitalise on it. I know I shouldn't really be surprised, after all we live in a capitalist society, but it just seemed wrong, wrong, wrong.
Anyway, I had to go to Glasgow Fort today for a few things, so thought I would pop into HMV just to see if there was anything worth buying.
On the way up to the door, I heard they were playing Jackson's music. I thought that was nice. A kind of tribute.
I can't believe how naive I was!
On entering the store, immediately as you went in, there was a stand with loads of Jackson merchandise on it for sale.
The guy had barely been dead 12 hours, yet they were ready to capitalise on it. I know I shouldn't really be surprised, after all we live in a capitalist society, but it just seemed wrong, wrong, wrong.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Bleating Blears
How gullible do politicians think we are? I mean come on!
Firstly they try to pull the wool over our eyes with their dodgy expenses. Then after they are found out, they try to weasel their way out of it saying it was a “mistake” and they then patronise us by paying the money back.
Now Perma-Grin, aka Hazel Blears, is at it.
She did something even the shadiest of underhand politician wouldn’t even contemplate. She resigned on the eve of a nation-wide election. Not only that, she made a great song and dance about it. As people were actually going to the polls she was swanning about trying to cause maximum damage for her party.
Fast forward a week. With her desired outcome, the downfall of Gordon Brown, unfulfilled, she is coming to us cap in hand saying she is “sorry” and regrets what she did. Yeah, right!
The only thing these politicians are sorry about is not getting their own way.
I hope her constituency party passes the vote of no confidence in her and she gets what she deserves. That may be enough to wipe that smile off her face.
Firstly they try to pull the wool over our eyes with their dodgy expenses. Then after they are found out, they try to weasel their way out of it saying it was a “mistake” and they then patronise us by paying the money back.
Now Perma-Grin, aka Hazel Blears, is at it.
She did something even the shadiest of underhand politician wouldn’t even contemplate. She resigned on the eve of a nation-wide election. Not only that, she made a great song and dance about it. As people were actually going to the polls she was swanning about trying to cause maximum damage for her party.
Fast forward a week. With her desired outcome, the downfall of Gordon Brown, unfulfilled, she is coming to us cap in hand saying she is “sorry” and regrets what she did. Yeah, right!
The only thing these politicians are sorry about is not getting their own way.
I hope her constituency party passes the vote of no confidence in her and she gets what she deserves. That may be enough to wipe that smile off her face.
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