Scots voters are being invited to take two minutes to hear a message from the SNP tonight which could save them two hours of their time later in the evening.
The special party election broadcast - billed as "2 minutes from Alex Salmond...Which could save you 2 hours later" - will be screened on all terrestrial channels, and will be UK-wide on Channel 4 and Channel Five, ahead of the leader's debate on ITV. You can see it here.
That debate will focus on so-called "domestic issues" like health, education and justice - all of which are run in Scotland by the Government at Holyrood. As such, the ITV leaders' debate will be almost totally meaningless to viewers in Scotland.
The full text of the broadcast from Mr Salmond is:
"Tonight is the first of the TV debates. Some of you may watch it, most of you will hear about it, but tonight what you won’t hear about is Scotland. You’ll see a long and probably long-winded debate about English health, crime and schools. None of it, none of it, will apply to Scotland. There won’t even be any Scots in the audience - that’s the audience that are not allowed to cheer or clap or react in any way to what’s said.
"I say there should have been a real debate, with all political voices. Tonight there will be a cosy Westminster consensus. Three politicians disagreeing around the edges but basically agreeing on the things that matter most. The three London parties have the same agenda, they’re part of the same system, the same metropolitan machine. They want to cut spending, cuts that will threaten recovery, cuts that will undermine vital local services.
"The Labour Party have admitted that their cuts will be deeper and tougher than those of Margaret Thatcher. Just think about
it. The Labour Party say that their cuts, that’s Labour cuts, will be deeper and tougher than those of Margaret Thatcher that devastated so many lives and so many communities.
"Cuts in public services that make society what it is, the National Health Service, our schools, our police. Make no mistake, these are the targets of Tory cuts and Labour cuts and even savage Liberal cuts. But I say there is another way. Let's protect these things that are really important, lets invest in jobs and recovery, Invest in these vital local services and instead take the axe to the planned hundred thousand million pound replacement for Trident nuclear weapons and The five thousand million remnants of the ID card system. Cut the hundred million from the House of Lords or the ten million Scotland Office.
"Cut these things because they don’t matter to anyone and they don’t matter at all.
"That is the alternative agenda, which you won’t hear from any of the London parties tonight. Tonight the people will be excluded from the debate but on polling day it’s the people not the politicians who have the power. That means that this time you can do more than vote for just another politician, elect a local champion, a local and national champion. An SNP MP who will work hard to protect the things that matter most.
"Tonight there will be no one to champion Scotland in the TV debate and the people will be silenced. But on May the 6th the people will speak and their voice will be heard."
The special party election broadcast - billed as "2 minutes from Alex Salmond...Which could save you 2 hours later" - will be screened on all terrestrial channels, and will be UK-wide on Channel 4 and Channel Five, ahead of the leader's debate on ITV. You can see it here.
That debate will focus on so-called "domestic issues" like health, education and justice - all of which are run in Scotland by the Government at Holyrood. As such, the ITV leaders' debate will be almost totally meaningless to viewers in Scotland.
The full text of the broadcast from Mr Salmond is:
"Tonight is the first of the TV debates. Some of you may watch it, most of you will hear about it, but tonight what you won’t hear about is Scotland. You’ll see a long and probably long-winded debate about English health, crime and schools. None of it, none of it, will apply to Scotland. There won’t even be any Scots in the audience - that’s the audience that are not allowed to cheer or clap or react in any way to what’s said.
"I say there should have been a real debate, with all political voices. Tonight there will be a cosy Westminster consensus. Three politicians disagreeing around the edges but basically agreeing on the things that matter most. The three London parties have the same agenda, they’re part of the same system, the same metropolitan machine. They want to cut spending, cuts that will threaten recovery, cuts that will undermine vital local services.
"The Labour Party have admitted that their cuts will be deeper and tougher than those of Margaret Thatcher. Just think about
it. The Labour Party say that their cuts, that’s Labour cuts, will be deeper and tougher than those of Margaret Thatcher that devastated so many lives and so many communities."Cuts in public services that make society what it is, the National Health Service, our schools, our police. Make no mistake, these are the targets of Tory cuts and Labour cuts and even savage Liberal cuts. But I say there is another way. Let's protect these things that are really important, lets invest in jobs and recovery, Invest in these vital local services and instead take the axe to the planned hundred thousand million pound replacement for Trident nuclear weapons and The five thousand million remnants of the ID card system. Cut the hundred million from the House of Lords or the ten million Scotland Office.
"Cut these things because they don’t matter to anyone and they don’t matter at all.
"That is the alternative agenda, which you won’t hear from any of the London parties tonight. Tonight the people will be excluded from the debate but on polling day it’s the people not the politicians who have the power. That means that this time you can do more than vote for just another politician, elect a local champion, a local and national champion. An SNP MP who will work hard to protect the things that matter most.
"Tonight there will be no one to champion Scotland in the TV debate and the people will be silenced. But on May the 6th the people will speak and their voice will be heard."
................
Salmond is nuts, Trident is a defence policy, the Scottish parliament does not have devolved powers over defence. The UK parliament will decide what happens to Trident, not him. Nor have any of the main 3 parties in the UK parliament said they will cut frontline services, just the wasteful admin side of things.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, unless the SNP decide to have PPC's in all UK constituencies, then they have no place in a UK debate.
Tris
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Alex Salmond interview that
"Key bored warrior" has on his blog.
It gives a good indication of why he is not included with the other "leaders"
Wish I knew how to link to it as it deserves a bigger audience and should be posted on Blether with Brian.
Quiet Man, PPCs in "all UK constituencies"? I take it you are unaware of the fact that Labour and the Liberal Democrats are only standing in 631 out of 650 seats, and that the Conservatives are only standing in 648 out of 650?
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a "national, UK-wide" party in this election. Are you advocating an empty platform, and ninety minutes of total silence tonight? It would probably be considerably more elucidating than what will actually happen.
Quiet Man, ye must be fairly green if ye think that there'll be nae frontline cuts on the way. Dinnae think just cos they say 'nae cuts' that they mean it. Defense may be a reserved issue, but its impacts are most definitely devolved.
ReplyDeleteOne of the major flaws in the current devolution settlement is the reduction in Scottish MPs. This was done, we were told, because our Parliament deals with domestic issues, so we need fewer MPs at Westminster. This has resulted in Scotland having LESS say in those reserved areas such as defense.
Our only resort, if we wish to stop new Trident submarines in the Clyde, is full independence.
An' if ye dinnae mind ah'm gaun tae take offence at you callin' ma Prime Minister nuts.
Courtesy costs nothin'.
Many good looking woman have told me having bothered with Nationalist males(very briefly)............Two minutes for a nationalist is a very long time.
ReplyDeleteIn fact my wife assures me Unionists make much better lovers than rough nationalists............bit concerned where she gets her information though best keep an eye on her for now
ReplyDeleteAh've just had tae scrap six responses, each wan less printable than the last. Ah will keep ma wallies in ma peenie pockets, and just say...
ReplyDeleteNae class Mr, nae class.
First Sophia, he's only a first minister, not a Prime Minister. 2nd he's the leader of a minority party currently in control over the Scottish Parliament which does not have control over foreign policy, defence, energy production etc.
ReplyDeleteSo, what right does this man have to tell the rest of the UK what he would do if he ever was in charge of us? I chose the word nuts, however it may just be that he's misinformed as to the extent of his powers.
Now in an independent Scotland, he might be the big fish in a small pond, but compared to the rest of the UK which is what the current debate is about, he's a minority leader of a minority party that does not stand outside of Scotland and so isn't worth asking on a UK wide debate.
It would be a fine state of affairs if the Scottish National Party stood outside of Scotland. I think that there is a hint in the name there.
ReplyDeleteAlthough who knows folks all over England might vote SNP in their droves. God knows they (like we)are probably sick of the London based lot and the usual more of the same old claptrap.
Er, whit does Prime mean again?
ReplyDeleteSome one got out of bed on the wrong side today.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like you to be that rude QM.
We don't like nuclear weapons here and we want rid of them, even the Labour MPs want rid of them but of course they are scared of the real big cheesey one Brown.
Sooner we're free the better and then England can have them back.
First Minister = Premier Ministre (in France) = Prime Minister in England.
It really is a bit petty to argue over it. He's the man we see as our leader and a brilliant job he is making of it. Even unionist Scots by and large like him. I couldn't care less what you call him. As there's no side to him I call him Alex.
We're passionate here about our Country QM, as I know you are about yours.
PS I wouldn't upset Sophia, she's just terrifying when she's roused. Utterly terrifying.
Dubbieside. I've posted the video on here. Thanks for your pointer. It is excellent. He really is an inspiration to us.
ReplyDeleteQuiet man, there is no UK election. There are 650 parliamentary elections. Come tae think on it, there's nae UK either, just a disUK.
ReplyDeleteAh've watched Alec's broadcast. Ah cannae recall him sayin' even once whit he wid dae if he was 'in charge o' you lot'
Mibbe ye cannae hear right, mibbe ye cannae think straight. Mibbe ye're just tryin' tae enlighten us aw as tae whit's wrong wi' the current set-up, an' ye're just tryin' tae get mair votes for the SNP.
Thanks tris, ah'll take the compliment but ah hope ah'm no that scary.
ReplyDeleteNow if ye'd met ma grannie, there wis a scary auld bauchle o' a wumin.
James. Welcome to Munguin's Republic. Most happy to see you here.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. No one is standing in all the seats, but there are an awful lot of seats filled by MPs who will not be represented tonight and very many voters who will find nothing to their taste in the ramblings of the three "main" parties.
The Liberals, Tories and Labour are all standing in all the seats in England though, and we all know, England is Britain is England.
Well, I’m looking forward to the programme on Lagos.
Niko: Two minutes you say? Goodness... THAT long? Wow.
ReplyDeleteYep. I'd be very worried about Lady Mixed Pickle if I were you. I wonder if she's still meeting up with Spook in ASDA?
Calm yerself Sophia. He didnae mean it. He'll say he's sorry to you soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's not nice to upset a lady.
No Alex is quite clear. He has the deepest respect for the English and he believes in English votes for English matters. No SNP MP has ever voted on an English or English and Welsh matter. Nor those concerning Ireland.
ReplyDeleteHe has no desire to be in charge of England.
He does however make a valid point that when you have no knickers and you can't afford a piece of dry bread, it is really very foolish to buy a fur coat and order up oysters and champagne.
The House of Lords and Trident should go. We can't afford to keep our OAPs alive.
Maybe Mr Brown hasn't heard that his dear friend (snigger) Mr Obama is trying to REDUCE nuclear weapons.
Pratt.
Munguin: I have mates who love in Newcastle who believe that they simply don't matter to the English one little bit. They wish they were Scottish. That way they would get some attention from London. They only care about the South East of England.
ReplyDeleteErm... they LIVE in Newcastle although I suppose they love there too... duh.
ReplyDeleteSophia. I'm sure I must have met yer Granny. Well it was some really scary old dear... she's a friend of Gordon Brown's... Maggie something or other.... They say she was OK when she was sober, but that wasn't often....
ReplyDeleteIt wisnae often tris, ah'll grant ye that. "Sober?" she would shout, "Whit's that mean?" the auld dear...
ReplyDeleteHalf-hingit Maggie wis how she went, she only mairrit oan tae the Panglosses tae gie hersel a bit o' class, somethin' Fife wis sairely lackin' in her days. No like now.
She wis fine till she discovered Baby Bio. Then she wis up aw night, ravin' in a phone box oan Pittenweem High Street. She got caught soon enough, she forgot tae shut the curtains. Ah had tae disown her, the auld besom.
It's a shame right enough Sophia... Baby Bio is Ok for the begonias, but not too good for grannies.
ReplyDeleteGood laugh though!
ITV/ComRes poll of 4,000 taken right after the farce was over reusts as follows:
ReplyDeleteWhich party leader do you think won the debate tonight?
Brown 20%, Cameron 26%, Clegg 43%
(none 11%)
Which party leader would you say you trust most to make any necessary cuts to public services?
Brown 28%, Cameron 36%, Clegg 36%
Which one of the three main parties do you think has the best policies on immigration?
Conservative 37%, Labour 20%, Lib Dem 35%, None or Don’t know 8%
Winner Nick Clegg.
Quiet Man like all of us you are entitled to your own opinion but your arrogance over the issue of Scotland's First Minister and the way you try to undermine him as an irrelevant politician is why most Scots steer clear of the Conservatives who see Scotland as irrelevant except from her oil.
ReplyDeleteAllan I'm not a conservative.
ReplyDeleteNor am I arrogant over the Scots desire to be independent, if that's what you want, then go for it as an English nationalist I'll cheer you on.
prime minister
n. Abbr. PM
1. A chief minister appointed by a ruler.
2. The head of the cabinet and often also the chief executive of a parliamentary democracy.
Not first minister at all.
By the way, I'm from Newcastle and no they do not want to be Scots, they might want an independent Geordie republic, but they don't want to be part of Scotland.
If I've offended I'm sorry, but unless Scotland becomes independent then the first minister of the Scottish parliament does not have the power or the means to do anything about Trident and that's all the point I was making.
QM: That fits Mr Salmond. He was appointed (in the same way as Brown, although he was elected by the people, not the party) by Her Majesty the Queen. He is head of a Cabinet and he is the chief executive of Scotland.
ReplyDeleteMurphy btw, is a wee fool. Few take him seriously. I've certainly never met one. (Although the Labour Party seems to think that he is their great white hope en Ecosse. Strange, a 10 year old child could beat him in debate.) But in any case, he was appointed by Brown, and had his appointment confirmed by the Queen. That's different.
The French have as head of the Cabinet, a "premier ministre", a first minister, but he is referred to by the English as their prime minister.
It's semantics.
I didn't say that ALL Newcastle people wanted to be part of Scotland, I said that I had mates there who wanted to be Scottish. They feel abandoned by London and would far rather that they belonged to Scotland, as they would get a better deal there. I'm sure in a huge place like Newcastle there are all shades of opinion. If my words indicated that I felt that everyone was of the same mind as my mates', then I'm sorry.
The Scottish parliament can't do anything about trident, but it can withhold planning permission for the new buildings required to house the new £100 billion weapons of mass destruction that a madman like Brown can have because we need to defend ourselves, but oddly other countries can't because presumably they don’t need such defence, or they do but they don’t matter enough.
Of course, in the end, London can overrule the Scottish parliament on anything, because clearly Blair thought that we were too stupid to be trusted not to get things wrong, or not to do things his way (he wasn’t stupid Blair, he knew we weren’t all empty headed muppets like his MPs).... but that would be a big step to take.
In the same way, the Queen, at her pleasure can summon Brown and tell him to piss off. She wouldn't though.
If there were a vote in the Scottish parliament tomorrow, the WMDs would be removed, almost without doubt. There is a majority for it. Even some of the more intelligent Labour MSPs would break ranks and vote for their removal.
They are there against the will of the people of Scotland. The MPs in Westminster are all far too scared to vote against the leader; there are loads of juicy, well paid, jobs with the possibility for travel to nice places on the cards, and they are by and large a bunch of spineless self servers. The really don't reflect what the people of Scotland want. They reflect what they want. Even the Labour leadership in Scotland is looking at their seats in the Lords.
Hey Allan, I have a feeling we might have been dumped long ago if it were not for our oil.
ReplyDeleteQuiet Man. Sorry I wasn't accusing you of being a Tory I was just drawing parallels with some of your wordings to that of the Conservatives!
ReplyDeleteI was never aware at anytime (at least in the last 300 years) that anyone from Newcastle wished to become part of Scotland???????????????
And people who desire an independent Scotland don't always have England in mind when wishing for it, Scottish independence is not all about England.
I'm not a huge fan of English independence btw. I doubt England could manage without us Lol.