Its my final blog before Christmas, but don't worry I will be posting my predictions for 2008 before the year ends, and I have come to the conclusion that the Scottish political scene has gone stark raving bonkers. To quote my good friend, Alex Dingwall, "I know this is the panto season but this is ridiculous!
In what has become a tumultuous year in Scottish politics, even my breath was taken away with the news that Ruth Black, Scotland's only Solidarity Councillor, and a Councillor in the Westminster Boundary of Glasgow South West, has defected to the British Labour Party (Scotland Region). I have deliberately not posted my thoughts on this for a few days so I could give a measured analysis, but my gut instincts are the same as they were when I heard the news.
To switch from Solidarity to New Labour is just unbelievable. To switch to a Party responsible for the Iraq war, and to be an elected representative in a Council ward where leading Anti-war Campaigner, Rose Gentle resides defies belief. To switch to a Party that is arguably the staunchest in its defence of the UK is beyond description. To switch to a Party that is up to its neck in sleaze due to donations from multi millionaires is unimaginable. To become a member of a group which is choosing new models of service delivery, i.e. privatising some of its services, is an outrage. A switch from the Hard left to the Centre Right in one fell swoop.
The excuse that it is the equalities agenda that is the reason for this conversion is mind numbingly naive. It is the SNP who were the loudest voice for the equalities agenda for many years, and still are, particularly in Glasgow where Councillor Alex Dingwall is a staunch defender, having exposed Council policies such as having to "out" yourself to attend the Councils Gay and Lesbian forum. Ruth Black knows this.
The only sensible conclusion is that this is a career move rather than a road to Damascus conversion. A conversion similar to Palpatine seducing Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Sith. Unfortunately for Ruth, I fear she will now be a figure of fun in political circles.
Interestingly, Ruth Black would not have been a Councillor had the SNP put forward 2 candidates in the Craigton ward. Instead the people of Craigton now have to suffer 3 New Labour Councillors at least to 2011, or perhaps 2012. A very long time to wait to deliver a verdict. The voters of Craigton I am sure will not forget.
Elsewhere, New Labour are in denial that they broke the law, the Lib Dems pretend that they are the honest brokers, when no-one is less honest or less broke, and sleazy with it as the First Minister reminded us this week. The Tories well simply barking.
The panto season is in full flow.....
24 December 2007
19 December 2007
THE EXPRESS TRAIN.....
To Independence!
Yes the news that the Scottish Daily Express readership back Independence in big numbers is another signal that support for the noblest of causes is gaining momentum.
This news is on top of this months earlier poll by the Sunday Herald which showed an increase in support.
Confidence is growing in the SNP Government, and thus support for further powers and Independence increases.
Only the most arch unionist could ignore these facts.
It is up to all SNP activists in the New Year to build on this and take our message to those who have still to be convinced.
16 December 2007
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO EMERGENCY, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO JAIL
I could not resist using this title from a very good West Wing episode, as it transpires that whilst I was out leafleting in Old Craigton, just a mile down the road, the police were searching Tommy Sheridan's home, whilst Tommy was being charged with perjury.
From my point of view, and knowing many figures within the Trade union movement who were members of the SSP, and now split into more factions than Monty Python's Life of Brian, it is clear that one side is lying, and one side isn't. Whether Tommy is the victim of an elaborate witch hunt, from an unholy alliance of Trots and the establishment remains to be seen, but no doubt Tommy's supporters will see him as a modern day Harry Perkins.
What is undisputed, it that the voters warmed to Solidarity more than the remaining SSP, indeed as the SNP candidate for Pollok earlier this year, Tommy lost out by a very close margin, because too many voters had marked Solidarity and Alex Salmond for First Minister on the same side of the ballot paper and left the other side blank. It is why Glasgow Pollok SNP believe the Constituency result was closer than the official record. If Tommy had been elected, would the Police have reacted sooner? This will be one of the questions that the electors in Pollok and elsewhere will be asking.
All in all, a very unedifying affair which has consigned the hard left to no parliamentary representation for a generation.
However, the rest of our opponents in Scotland are also in a mess. New Labour led by Wendy, allegedly a descendant of Ebenezer Scrooge, has nothing positive to say, and is still presiding over a basket case at Holyrood, where the word sleaze and New Labour are commonly stated in the same sentence. Its only a matter of time before Mr.Sheridan's house guests make there way over to Paisley. Perhaps they will also stop off at the home of a Renfrewshire Councillor along the way.
The Lib Dems meanwhile have the tactical nous of Berti Vogts, i.e. tactics are a peppermint!, and the reaction of the press in the North East apparently make awful reading for them. Not content with cuddlying up to Wendy and were noticeable by their silence when Donorgate hit the headlines, they have made an incredible fuss over Donald Trump's application to build a golf complex in Aberdeenshire, and made some rather silly comments along the way. To suggest that Alex Salmond as a Constituency MSP should not have attended a meeting with Trump's representatives would have been a failure of duty for any Parliamentarian given that this proposal is the most important one affecting the Gordon constituency for many years. They must be really bitter at their gubbing in the elections in May, and with Nicol Stephen holding a marginal constituency his attacks look like the desperate actions of a desperate man.
Surely Mr.Trump himself has the best message for Nicol, and one that will be delivered in due course - YOU'RE FIRED!
From my point of view, and knowing many figures within the Trade union movement who were members of the SSP, and now split into more factions than Monty Python's Life of Brian, it is clear that one side is lying, and one side isn't. Whether Tommy is the victim of an elaborate witch hunt, from an unholy alliance of Trots and the establishment remains to be seen, but no doubt Tommy's supporters will see him as a modern day Harry Perkins.
What is undisputed, it that the voters warmed to Solidarity more than the remaining SSP, indeed as the SNP candidate for Pollok earlier this year, Tommy lost out by a very close margin, because too many voters had marked Solidarity and Alex Salmond for First Minister on the same side of the ballot paper and left the other side blank. It is why Glasgow Pollok SNP believe the Constituency result was closer than the official record. If Tommy had been elected, would the Police have reacted sooner? This will be one of the questions that the electors in Pollok and elsewhere will be asking.
All in all, a very unedifying affair which has consigned the hard left to no parliamentary representation for a generation.
However, the rest of our opponents in Scotland are also in a mess. New Labour led by Wendy, allegedly a descendant of Ebenezer Scrooge, has nothing positive to say, and is still presiding over a basket case at Holyrood, where the word sleaze and New Labour are commonly stated in the same sentence. Its only a matter of time before Mr.Sheridan's house guests make there way over to Paisley. Perhaps they will also stop off at the home of a Renfrewshire Councillor along the way.
The Lib Dems meanwhile have the tactical nous of Berti Vogts, i.e. tactics are a peppermint!, and the reaction of the press in the North East apparently make awful reading for them. Not content with cuddlying up to Wendy and were noticeable by their silence when Donorgate hit the headlines, they have made an incredible fuss over Donald Trump's application to build a golf complex in Aberdeenshire, and made some rather silly comments along the way. To suggest that Alex Salmond as a Constituency MSP should not have attended a meeting with Trump's representatives would have been a failure of duty for any Parliamentarian given that this proposal is the most important one affecting the Gordon constituency for many years. They must be really bitter at their gubbing in the elections in May, and with Nicol Stephen holding a marginal constituency his attacks look like the desperate actions of a desperate man.
Surely Mr.Trump himself has the best message for Nicol, and one that will be delivered in due course - YOU'RE FIRED!
09 December 2007
TRADE UNIONS BASHED BECAUSE OF ILLEGAL DONORS
Having attended the SNP Trade Union Group AGM yesterday, it is clear that the Trade Union movement in general recognises that the Scottish Government shares their values.
I have spoken to a number of Senior Trade union figures in Scotland in recent weeks, who all comment on how the SNP Government is doing, how it looks in charge, and how it is allowing Trade Unions access to shape policy, and to address concerns. They all comment on the difference from the previous New Labour led regime.
In parallel, the Westminster Government is attempting to use Trade Unions funding as a sacrificial lamb for the whole illegal donors scandal.
It is clear that any reshaping of funding policy will include restricting the amounts Trade unions can use to fund any political party. Earlier this year, the FBU and RMT used monies to fund SNP candidates. On the whole however, most still use funds for Labour candidates. For those of us who are employed in the Public Sector, these funding arrangements are akin to giving petrol money to an arsonist who wants to torch your home!
It is however scandalous that the Trade Unions become the fall guy for millionaires either shipping money to a political party illegally, or because a political party accepted donations from a millionaire they knew to be wrong.
However, any attempt to address Trade Union funding for any political party must address concerns over transparency.
Either the law or the Trade Unions must address the nonsense that many members do not even know that they are funding a political party. Many unions automatically allocate members to a political fund without their knowledge, and it is much more difficult to withdraw from the fund than it is to join it. UNISON, however has a different mechanism where members are given some level of choice to either join a general or affiliated fund. Even though this gives some flexibility, UNISON were caught out at a previous conference where it was admitted that members who had shown no preference or who had simply left it blank were allocated a fund without their knowledge.
Some Trade Unions have decided to set up a political fund to support individual candidates across the political spectrum, and these are decided by a panel within the union. I suspect that this will be the way most trade unions will utilise funding in future. It must make clear that candidates are being funded because the candidate supports the Unions policies.
All in all, the Trade Unions should not be used as a political pawn because of others stupidity or illegality. They must however, be more transparent to avoid criticism from the right wing media, who take any opportunity to bash the trade union movement, and the majority must seriously look at its curious relationship with a political party who sold out on the principles of the Trade union movement years ago.
I have spoken to a number of Senior Trade union figures in Scotland in recent weeks, who all comment on how the SNP Government is doing, how it looks in charge, and how it is allowing Trade Unions access to shape policy, and to address concerns. They all comment on the difference from the previous New Labour led regime.
In parallel, the Westminster Government is attempting to use Trade Unions funding as a sacrificial lamb for the whole illegal donors scandal.
It is clear that any reshaping of funding policy will include restricting the amounts Trade unions can use to fund any political party. Earlier this year, the FBU and RMT used monies to fund SNP candidates. On the whole however, most still use funds for Labour candidates. For those of us who are employed in the Public Sector, these funding arrangements are akin to giving petrol money to an arsonist who wants to torch your home!
It is however scandalous that the Trade Unions become the fall guy for millionaires either shipping money to a political party illegally, or because a political party accepted donations from a millionaire they knew to be wrong.
However, any attempt to address Trade Union funding for any political party must address concerns over transparency.
Either the law or the Trade Unions must address the nonsense that many members do not even know that they are funding a political party. Many unions automatically allocate members to a political fund without their knowledge, and it is much more difficult to withdraw from the fund than it is to join it. UNISON, however has a different mechanism where members are given some level of choice to either join a general or affiliated fund. Even though this gives some flexibility, UNISON were caught out at a previous conference where it was admitted that members who had shown no preference or who had simply left it blank were allocated a fund without their knowledge.
Some Trade Unions have decided to set up a political fund to support individual candidates across the political spectrum, and these are decided by a panel within the union. I suspect that this will be the way most trade unions will utilise funding in future. It must make clear that candidates are being funded because the candidate supports the Unions policies.
All in all, the Trade Unions should not be used as a political pawn because of others stupidity or illegality. They must however, be more transparent to avoid criticism from the right wing media, who take any opportunity to bash the trade union movement, and the majority must seriously look at its curious relationship with a political party who sold out on the principles of the Trade union movement years ago.
04 December 2007
WAITING FOR THE INEVITABLE
I have resisted the temptation to blog as i wait for the inevitable, however for the last few days we have been kept on tenterhooks, waiting and waiting, and waiting. Its like watching an episode of Jerry Springer, pure Car Crash TV but enough to keep you talking and watching.
I, of course refer to the current state of the British Labour Party (Scotland Region)!
We are awaiting on the following events;
(1) Wee Wendy's inevitable resignation.
(2) The inevitable by-election in Cathcart.
(3) The inevitable public infighting within BLP (Scotland Region).
As per a typical episode of Jerry Springer, there will be the punch ups, love ins, and an abundance of controversy.
Its only a matter of time,
Its Inevitable.
As Jerry Springer would say..........
Take care of yourselves ....
and each other!
I, of course refer to the current state of the British Labour Party (Scotland Region)!
We are awaiting on the following events;
(1) Wee Wendy's inevitable resignation.
(2) The inevitable by-election in Cathcart.
(3) The inevitable public infighting within BLP (Scotland Region).
As per a typical episode of Jerry Springer, there will be the punch ups, love ins, and an abundance of controversy.
Its only a matter of time,
Its Inevitable.
As Jerry Springer would say..........
Take care of yourselves ....
and each other!
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