Saturday 2 July 2011

THERE'S ALWAYS ONE, ISN'T THERE?

I suspect that when a Scottish election, with its hybrid voting system, throws up an unexpected result, and parties win seats, regional or constituency, that they never expected to win, there must be some candidates who weren’t actually expecting to be elected, and whom party officials had already advised not to give up their day jobs.

Some might be people who have a considerable amount to learn, put into an “unwinnable” seat to get experience. And in some cases there will be fillers. You know, the name on the ballot paper that, had they thought there was the vaguest chance of winning, would never have allowed their name to go forward.

I’m only guessing, but I suspect that Labour had a good few of them in regional seats. So spectacularly solid has been the Labour vote in West Coast constituency seats that using the D’hondt system to calculate the regional entitlement, there have been few or no Labour winners. Likewise in these areas the likelihood of the SNP triumphing in a constituency seat was small enough to be negligible.

Then along comes the election result to change the whole Scottish political landscape, and a few people who didn’t expect to be MSPs, suddenly find themselves taking the oath of allegiance.

It might be worthwhile considering a quick course for these people who may have been very faithful leafleters or envelope lickers, but who have no idea of what the job of MSP involves or of the pitfalls that are begging to be fallen into.

One of these pitfalls clearly would be the use of Twitter. (You’d have thought that the number of candidates that have been caught out Tweeting something hideously inappropriate, might have served as a warning to MSPs new to Holyrood, but it seems not.)

Clearly in the case of George Adam, that particular penny didn’t drop. Ex car salesman Adam clearly thought it amusing to put down the people of Inverclyde with a gratuitous Tweet about needing a “jab” (inoculation for foreigners!) to get out of Greenock.

It’s just the kind of thing that potential voters want to hear about their constituency, and it takes a special kind of stupidity not to realise that a Tweet is a pretty public thing, especially for a public figure.

So thanks, Mr Adam. You didn’t cost us the election; that was lost already. But you’ll certainly have contributed to it, and possibly to the feeling that the SNP doesn’t really care much for the West Coast working class voter. In short you may have undone goodwill and trust that it has taken the SNP years to gain

Well done to you. Lincoln said: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." I suggest you adopt that then adapt it to Tweeting, and see if you can’t redeem yourself a bit.

Pic: George Adam, the silly Tweet with the amusing teenage boy racer hairstyle which goes badly with the bags under the eyes and old man's teeth.

23 comments:

  1. Most voters don't have a scoobie about twitter. It's permanently monitored by the MSM who will use it to defend their particular agenda. And attack the opposition.
    It confirms to me that politicians are imbeciles who should never be allowed out on their own. They think that facebook, twitter, et al are like having a chat with their neighbour. Their knowledge of the world is childlike and sad.

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  2. The term "dick-head" finds new life and resonance: A haircut, a toothbrush and a mental make-over in order?

    Hope his bahookie was well thrashed for his offensive remarks for the independence movement does not even remotely need this type of chauvinist with its ant-like scurry of "thinking" and twittering tripe.

    The Scots are embarked on a path of fundamental democratic change with international implications. Thus, we should all - pro or con - haud oor wheesht until we can state ourselves in a clear and informed manner.

    Forbye this, a loss at Inverclyde but a gutting of the previous Labour "Ascendancy"'s results and assumptions (all the bluster put apart).

    Suspect CoBRA crisis planners are gaming potential scenarios.

    More interesting stuff especially as there may be the scent of jiggery-pokery regarding some party canvassers' behavior (pace News Net Scotland - this week) towards voters (an investigation being mounted by them - see their site).

    Anyway and eejits aside - and some are more vitriolic than others (pace Ian Davidson - a distant clan "relative") - the so-called status quo seems to be increasingly fragile as witnessed by the cumulative, electoral results and the Uber-Unionista, Alan Cochrane's comments in his latest Daily Telegraph blog comments about the FM's speech before the Queen in the opening of the Scots Parliament (as an aside, am beginning to suspect more firmly that he quite fancies himself as the Anglo-Jock version of the Anglo-"Paddy" Connor Cruise O'Brien).

    On their note, "toodle-pip". And the world is, indeed, watching.

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  3. I understand that there is a traditional rivalry between Paisley and Greenock (why I don’t know) and that the comments were made in light of this and in a light hearted vein. Nevertheless they have proved to be grist for the unionist mafia’s mill when they were emblazoned over the Daily Record for all to enjoy. I also note that Iain McKenzie did not fail to mention it in his atrocious victory speech. Ann McKechin (shadow Scottish secretary for those who don’t know) has, I see, taken over from Iain Gray, the mantle of claiming that everything is a “personal humiliation” for Alex Salmond. As for poor old Mr Adam...well there will be blood on the carpet a plenty. I must admit that when I saw that photo with the toothbrush hairstyle and toothy grin I was reminded of the ridiculous antics and attire of the SSP.

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  4. There was always going to be some idiots sprouting forth from the SNP ranks given the scale of their victory.

    The key challenge for Salmond is how successfully can he herd such a large, diverse block of MSPs...

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  5. Morning Winston

    You're right. I guess a lot of people are only vaguely aware of what Twitter is, and which twits tweet upon it...

    But surely one of the things that new MSPs, indeed potential MSPs of whatever party should do is make sure that they are aware of the repercussions of tweeting. As you say, a tweet is NOT a chat with your mate, it's a broadcast.

    It is worrying, don't you think, that you can say of a member of your parliament, that their knowledge of the world is childlike and sad. What does that say about the standard of representation their constituents can expect, or their contribution to lawmaking in our country?

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  6. How eloquently put, David.

    I'll go forthwith to Newsnet and read up on the allegations. Thanks for the tip. Oh and I wouldn't miss Alan Cochrane thoughts on anything... not for anything. His take a the relationship between Eck and Her Maj has to be worth 5 minutes of anyone's time.

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  7. Ah Munguin: Anne mcThingummy. Yes, well it was her chance to make a big splash. After all if there's not much for the Secretary for Colonial Affairs to do, there's even less for this woman to occupy herself with.

    So, in the event she borrowed one of Iain Gray's speeches and burbled for a bit about personal humiliations for Mr Salmond.

    If this was a personal humiliation for Mr Salmond, what on earth was the result at the Scottish parliament's general election in May?

    Stupid woman. Another one who really needs to learn to think before she speaks. We are not all stupid Annie.

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  8. Yes, of course, Dean. The more people you have, the more idiots you are likely to have.

    The more unexpected the particular victory, the more likely that the person concerned is not even vaguely expecting to win, and is badly prepared for the job.

    That said, in the three major parties there are some brilliant people who are new and who were not necessarily expected to win but who will do good jobs.

    Clearly Videl Sassoon is not one of them.

    The bigger the group, the harder it is to control. Again all major parties, all over the world know that. I hope that Eck has his finger on that particular pulse, and his hand ready to wring the scrawny necks of people who let the party, the government, the parliament and Scotland down.

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  9. George Adam is only an MSP by default. Because of poisonous backstabbing and illegal activities by some of the SNP councillors including Adam and ex-leader Derek MacKay there are only a handfull of members left now in Paisley - all the lazy ones I might add.

    George Adam was never allowed to put his name forward as a candidate because he was a crook who ripped off the banks for hundreds of thousands of pounds as well as other organisations. Many members in the party are aware of this all the way up to Alex Salmond.

    Funny SNP disciplined me an threw me out of the party for calling these people scum for what they were up to and yet they go out of their way to protect these people. That is going to come back and haunt them big time soon as it is with the press now.

    Billy

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  10. It really does show just how little we know about candidates doesn't it? They're a name of a paper and because we support a party we put a cross against them.

    So as to bore you rigid Tris, I'll repeat what I've said many times. MPs and MSPs go into these positions with large salaries and require no qualifications other than loyalty to a political party - with the exception of the very few independents.

    Yet we have politicians bleating on about how all youngsters should get a degree or some qualification which would make then suitable for the workplace.

    Oh the irony.

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  11. Billy:

    On the basis that these are really serious allegations, of which I have no knowledge at all, I'm not going to comment on the specifics of the case.

    I can't be sued for saying he's an idiot, or that he has a hairstyle at least 25 years younger than his wrinkles, but ripping off banks is another matter altogether...so, I'm sure you'll understand if I keep Munguin's Republic out of that particular argument.

    That said, what goes around may very well come around... and the bigger the opportunity to make a mess, the harder the fall.

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  12. No Subrosa, that doesn't bore me in the least.

    I agree completely with what you are saying.

    The pay is too much, far too much, for an entry level. No other job has that kind of salary structure.

    Now I don't think you should need a degree or a trade or anything else to be an MSP; I'd like to think that where the county is going is a matter of importance for people regardless of their background, or education. But I do think that MSPs, and the other shower in London, and Strasbourg, should start off at a trainee level and that this should progress incrementally to a position a little above the average wage (we might say around £30,000 - £40,000 at present).

    Ministers should be paid well on top of that. I have no problem at all that the first Minister, his cabinet secretaries and ministers should have comfortable salaries. Their jobs involve a huge amount of responsibility and pressure, very long hours and total commitment. MSPs' jobs don't particularly.

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  13. Oh, and Anne McWhatsit:

    The figures on percentage vote (which is the only way to judge the lay of the land) were as follows:

    Liberals 13.3% reduced to 2.2% of the vote. I'm surprised you didn't think to say that this was a personal humiliation for Nick and Willie.

    Tories, 12% down to 9.9% of the vote. Should Cameron or Annabel be personally humiliated?

    Labour's own share reduced for 56% to 53.8%, despite being in opposition everywhere that affects the voters in Scotland. Should Ed or Iain be hanging their heads?

    I mean some of these reductions in percentage support are small, but considering that you think that a RISE from 17.5% to 33% is a humiliation for Alex, I'd have thought you'd be weeping for your own humiliation, and your humiliated and humiliating candidate.

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  14. You don't need to worry Tris no one that I have mentioned here or on Paisley Expressions is going to take anyone near a court as that is the last place they want to be and I would be quite happy for them to try.

    The trouble with Labour voters like Inverclyde is that they voted for Labour because they do not want the cuts etc from the Tories but they are too stupid to realise that it is Labour that brought these cuts in and that things would not be any different under Labour. Whoever is in charge in Westminster would be doing the exact same things plus things are only going to get much worst. They keep voting for more of the same.

    Billy

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  15. He sounds a 'total prick' and is possibly in the wrong party for disconnected mouth and brain. 100 hours community service in Inverclyde cleaning the streets might bring him back to earth.

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  16. What has happened to Mr Adam, is he trying to be Tin-Tin, his comments are silly and stupid but the issues raised about fraud must be investigated further, this man works for the public and is getting paid by the public, this sort of activity will come back to haunt Salmond unless firm action is taken now.

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  17. How many Labour MP's have been jailed so far?

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  18. tris

    he is a copper bottomed tosser I wouldn't vote for or against the snp on the basis of what a moron says.

    Err! your overreacting

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  19. Yes, Billy. I'm sure you are right about that...

    And you are right too that people have a really weird notion that Labour would stop the cuts. They might gone so fast if they had been in power, but I bet they will never reinstate anything that the Tories took away. They didn't after Thatcher.

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  20. CH: I hope Eck has him cleaning the toilets in Holyrood for the next 5 years. He'd be far better employed doing that than being an MSP. I see he had a majority of 44, so I'm thinking that he'd better enjoy it while he can. It's not going to be forever.

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  21. Anon: As far as I know strong action is being taken. It's reported that the SNP hierarchy is furious.

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  22. Anon: 4 or 5. One is out already I think. It was all a bit of a joke. They put a few dead loss blokes in the pokey for a few months and now they think that we have forgotten what a bunch of thieving crap they were... and probably still are.

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  23. Niko. What are you on about. You wouldn't vote for the SNP if your backside was on fire and they were the only ones with water.

    I think you stamp on this kind of lowlife tomfoolery as soon as they get into parliament and make sure that it doesn't become a big problem, with newly rich, newly important people thinking they can say and do what they want.

    If you don't nip it in the bud you end up with the kind of problem that you have in London with people commenting that they "don't want more of the working classes going on cheap holidays"...

    I don't think it is over reaction. I don't want people like that representing me. Fortunately I don't have anyone like that representing me. But the people of paisley do.. and they shouldn't.

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