If you Google "SNP out canvassing" you get this mass of pictures of ordinary people out there "chapping doors" right from the very first picture.
If, on the other hand, you Google "Scottish Labour out canvassing", you get Labour party publicity, and maybe 8 rows down you get this ad for joining Labour which shows people canvassing with their Labour hoodies on. Any comments Mr Murphy?
Incidentally, there were no photographs of Tories canvassing either. I didn't bother looking for Liberals. Some things are just too much effort for no return.
Talking of canvassing, this is the time when you might expect to get a phone call or a person knocking at your door. So Munguin thinks that it might be an idea to have a list of questions art the ready for your political callers.
Everyone has their own priorities, but he will be asking at least some of the following if anyone bothers to turn up here:
1. As a party representative, and also as an individual, do you think that feeding and housing people and ensuring that they have enough money to stay warm is more important than buying nuclear weapons, which we need only to ensure our continued presence at the top table, where we do what America tells us anyway?
2. Do you think, particularly in our 21st century, high tech world, that education is of paramount importance to the future of Scotland? If not ...why not? If yes, do you agree that tertiary education should be free at the point of delivery?
3. Do you believe in a free health service in Scotland run by the state and with no profit motive involved?
4. We are part of the UK and London is the UK capital. However it is true to say that many people, probably most people, in Scotland, rarely visit London, given its distance and the expense. Do you agree that items like the Crossrail project or the London sewers renewal, should be paid for equally by Scots (who have their own capital city in Edinburgh), with no Barnett Formula consequential?
5. Reports suggest that the Westminster parliament buildings are falling into disrepair. It is estimated that the cost of these repairs will be many billions of pounds. Do you think that that is a sensible use of money or could some other cheaper alternative be found, given the financial situation of the country?
6. By most people's standards MPs are relatively well paid. At £66,000+ per annum, with generous expenses and subsidised food and drink, they earn well over three times the average wage. If you are elected will you guarantee to give the expected 11% pay rise, in its entirely to a local charity?
7. Do you think that people should have a bar selling cheap alcohol in their workplace? If not will you campaign to close the bars in the houses of parliament? If yes, will you campaign for subsided bars in every establishment employing more than say 100 people?
8. Do you think that it is reasonable or democratic that an unelected house of parliament, comprising hereditary aristocrats, bishops of only one church, political appointees (often generous donors) and retired or failed politicians has the right to make our laws? If not, what will you do about it?
9. Do you consider it right that members of the royal family as far down as 46th in line to the throne, should be entitled to grace and favour residences at our expense? Do you further agree that it is necessary for there to be five royal palaces set aside in and around London for one family, along with another in Edinburgh, while other British people are homeless? If not, what will you do about it?
10. Would you agree that after the scandal of MPs' expenses, the cross party agreement to bring in "MP recall" options for constituents was the right thing to do, and the refusal, once the election was over, to actually implement it, was wrong? What would you do about this in the new parliament?
I bet you can add to Munguin's list...
If, on the other hand, you Google "Scottish Labour out canvassing", you get Labour party publicity, and maybe 8 rows down you get this ad for joining Labour which shows people canvassing with their Labour hoodies on. Any comments Mr Murphy?
Incidentally, there were no photographs of Tories canvassing either. I didn't bother looking for Liberals. Some things are just too much effort for no return.
Talking of canvassing, this is the time when you might expect to get a phone call or a person knocking at your door. So Munguin thinks that it might be an idea to have a list of questions art the ready for your political callers.
Everyone has their own priorities, but he will be asking at least some of the following if anyone bothers to turn up here:
1. As a party representative, and also as an individual, do you think that feeding and housing people and ensuring that they have enough money to stay warm is more important than buying nuclear weapons, which we need only to ensure our continued presence at the top table, where we do what America tells us anyway?
2. Do you think, particularly in our 21st century, high tech world, that education is of paramount importance to the future of Scotland? If not ...why not? If yes, do you agree that tertiary education should be free at the point of delivery?
3. Do you believe in a free health service in Scotland run by the state and with no profit motive involved?
4. We are part of the UK and London is the UK capital. However it is true to say that many people, probably most people, in Scotland, rarely visit London, given its distance and the expense. Do you agree that items like the Crossrail project or the London sewers renewal, should be paid for equally by Scots (who have their own capital city in Edinburgh), with no Barnett Formula consequential?
5. Reports suggest that the Westminster parliament buildings are falling into disrepair. It is estimated that the cost of these repairs will be many billions of pounds. Do you think that that is a sensible use of money or could some other cheaper alternative be found, given the financial situation of the country?
6. By most people's standards MPs are relatively well paid. At £66,000+ per annum, with generous expenses and subsidised food and drink, they earn well over three times the average wage. If you are elected will you guarantee to give the expected 11% pay rise, in its entirely to a local charity?
7. Do you think that people should have a bar selling cheap alcohol in their workplace? If not will you campaign to close the bars in the houses of parliament? If yes, will you campaign for subsided bars in every establishment employing more than say 100 people?
8. Do you think that it is reasonable or democratic that an unelected house of parliament, comprising hereditary aristocrats, bishops of only one church, political appointees (often generous donors) and retired or failed politicians has the right to make our laws? If not, what will you do about it?
9. Do you consider it right that members of the royal family as far down as 46th in line to the throne, should be entitled to grace and favour residences at our expense? Do you further agree that it is necessary for there to be five royal palaces set aside in and around London for one family, along with another in Edinburgh, while other British people are homeless? If not, what will you do about it?10. Would you agree that after the scandal of MPs' expenses, the cross party agreement to bring in "MP recall" options for constituents was the right thing to do, and the refusal, once the election was over, to actually implement it, was wrong? What would you do about this in the new parliament?
I bet you can add to Munguin's list...
What about;
ReplyDeleteScottish Labour,Tories or Libdems; what's the point of you? Considering you take up the party whip at Westminster and do sod all for Scotland.
I knew you'd be able to add to it.
DeleteIt's true. Scottish Tories... well Tory... I seriously don't think he has contributed anything to Scotland.
It's possible that the Liberals have softened some of the Tory policies over the last five years, but I can't think of anything that they have done specifically for Scotland. That Alexander bloke seems to have gone out of his way to do us down and Carmichael has done nothing for us.
Labour? Well they are supposed to be the opposition, but they don't seem to oppose very much. They go along with or abstain from most suff.
Nope ... No one fought for a better deal for us.
Bye.
Who is the dowager in the blue confection?
ReplyDeleteHer Royal Highness, the Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel, 46th in line to the throne. She lives in Thatched Lodge Cottage (Google it to see how much of a cottage it is...) largely at our expense.
DeleteI'm sure she's a nice woman, indeed I seem to recall an uncle of mine telling me that he had been detailed to guard her while he was in the army and that she was charming, but in honesty I have no idea why we keep her in a huge house for a peppercorn rent (she is a widow), when there are other British citizens living in cardboard boxes or being forced in England and Wales to move into a shoe box to avoid the bedroom tax.
What are they going to do about our corrupt banking system and those in charge of it?
ReplyDeleteGood question.
DeleteThey will tell us that they will try to do something but of course if they do they are worried that they will all leave the country.
Iceland didn't have that problem. All their banksters won't be leaving Iceland for quite some time, as foreign travel isn't a feature of Icelandic stir!
Tris
ReplyDeleteYet to have anyone at my door yet but it's early days but the SNP in Dundee Council need to sort out the shambles that is the Young Mums Unit and the V and A as it will have an effect in May wether they like it or not. Must admit been disaPpointed with how they handled things, they can't afford these type of mistakes. Although I suspect council officers will have a major hand in the mistakes.
Bruce
I don't know about the Young Mum's unit Bruce (I don't read the Courier as a rule). And I'm not sure about the V and A situation (for the same reason). I do think the new bins are a complete shambles. It hasn't affected me yet, but my mum had this set of instructions about a multitude of bins that they will shortly be having including one that you have to keep in your kitchen for food waste.
DeleteThis is going down like a lead balloon.
Of course most of what happens in a council, apart from general direction, is the work of officials. but in the end it is (and not unreasonably) the councillors who take the flack.
Tris
DeleteI agree but they have to make sure that they know their brief, I work for the council and totally appreciate that councillors can't know everything but terrible decisions are made every day that could be easily avoided but when officers know that councillors don't then what happens is the recent mistakes. Not all officers make bad decisions but when they do they tend to be really bad ones. Just think the SNP Group have done really well overall and it would be a shame to lose that.
Bruce
Thought I would pop in about the bin situation here in Fife, sound like you are about to have a similar system. We have one Grey Bin which is now for paper, lifted once a month. Green Bin for plastic and tin also lifted once a month. Blue bin, used to be the old paper bin, now landfill and lifted twice a month and the Brown Bin which used to be garden waste, now still takes it and food waste. The only thing needed to be taken to the recycle centre is glass. Now I am a keen recycler, I would say I have known many who are not, and certainly we really need a system which does not use so many bins. Okay for folk like me with a garden but for those in Flatted accommodation, Tenements etc. I used to live in a Quarter Villa in Inverkeithing with a very small front garden and we had no where to put the one we had then, how people manage up there now is quite beyond me. On the Continent they sort the rubbish after collection. Now it probably isn't the best of jobs but it is work and like so much here, we need people in work. Then of course they do not have Trident to pay for.
Deletep.s we have a Labour controlled Council now, not many sensible ideas there. They do love their bumps in the roads though and nice notices for Parks, and the odd path is being made or asphalted where they see their constituents belong.
Not sure about your list but
ReplyDeleteSIR MARK THATCHER
I'll put him on any Soylent Green list
Ah... Good old SIR Thatcher.
DeleteIn the times when hereditary titles had stopped being given to anyone except the royals, Denis racist dipso Thatcher got an hereditary K so that his idiot son would manage to have one thing to his credit when the old man bit the dust.
Ghastly man. I wouldn't waste Soylent Green on him.
Not as a recipient Tris, as a donor.
DeleteI'd need to be starving.... No, not even then.
DeleteIt would be goodbye cruel word... and Munguin agrees with me (although he does have a very large stock on vintage champagne to get through before he kisses the world goodbye).
Thatcher always left a bad taste in my mouth, without having to actually eat her...
DeleteBut you would have done us all a great service if you HAD eaten her, Conan.
DeleteJeez Conan, i had a full stomach.
DeleteThink of the dietary benefits...
DeleteUnusual for me but I'm going off-topic having just watched Question Time - what an exciting life I lead. The last planted question asked a mainly English audience if "in the event of a Labour minority government would Scotland be ruling Westminster?". It is difficult to think of a more provocative an appeal to attempt to ridicule the SNP and by extension Scotland. Any news yet on who are going to be on the Glasgow panel. I think Danny Alexander and Tommy Sheridan would make a complementary couple. They must have a few stories of "high jinks" between them.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it has ever occurred to the English audience that, by virtue of it's size England has always ruled Scotland. I wonder if they have given consideration to the fact that since the union and until 1999, the mainly English parliament in the English capital made decisions on even that which was unique to Scotland, and later devolved to the Scottish government. I further wonder if they are a ware that the Scottish Grand Committee comprises some English MPs, by virtue of the fact (I assume) that the Conservative's have to be represented on it, despite our not voting for them.
DeleteI think maybe it would in interesting to have Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind on QT. Clearly they don't earn enough from their salaries, despite them being 3 times the average wage. The BBC fee would come in handy for them.
I'd love to see Danny Alexander go up against Tommy Sheridan. I think Maggie for Labour or maybe Jackie, but I expect that they will probably have their own superstar, Jim Murphy. I can't imagine who'll they will have to represent the Tories though. Muddle must be very busy clearing out his office.
And another thing, seeing Hesletine on QT should remind voters that he, as Deputy Prime Minister, urged Major to favour Devonport over Rosyth even though the latter was safer and cheaper. Needless to say Major agreed but there was no mention of the facilities being offered by the lady on QT who wanted Trident in her back-garden.
ReplyDeleteI think that the English government should jump of that lady's kind offer. Unless she lives by the sea I expect they couldn't put Trident there, b ut a nuclear power station would probably be handy.
DeleteIt's a pity that Mr Heseltine didn't offer Devonport for the Trident. I wonder if he has ever been to Scotland. He's not the kind of Tory that would automatically come here for the shootin' huntin' and fishin'. As A;lan Clark said, "He's the kind of man who had to buy his own furniture".
If I remember correctly, Devonport was not regarded as safe in a minor earthquake but Rosyth. Maggie waves the rules was in operation and of course, afterbthe Lib menace passed guess what?
DeletePS: Does anyone want a copy of Heseltine's book personally signed to someone called "John"?
ReplyDeleteOf course not.
DeleteIt's cold up there in the frozen north. Put it on the peats to keep you warm.
(Munguin says: "Why does he ask such silly questions?")
In two words
DeleteOff
I see Willie Bain in Aberdeen is carrying on with said campaign to Vote Tory, maybe the citizens of said town will get lucky and he will have to resign as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat I read was that if you were a member then to vote for another party or induce or encourage someone else to was a breach of your membership.
DeleteWillie's not the brightest though. Maybe he didn't understand that bit.