tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post7908402139168442528..comments2023-12-20T19:39:29.865+00:00Comments on Munguin's Republic: NATIONAL PARTIES UNITE OVER LEADERS' DEBATE FUROREMunguinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475165830302054002noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-20091075551562123792010-03-06T14:07:24.063+00:002010-03-06T14:07:24.063+00:00Doug... great post. If anyone hasn't read yet,...Doug... great post. If anyone hasn't read yet, it I'd suggest the whole thread is worth a read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-57808267607881022322010-03-06T13:33:04.880+00:002010-03-06T13:33:04.880+00:00Doug. Superb post. Thanks, I'm off to read you...Doug. Superb post. Thanks, I'm off to read your post now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-59485965925982074922010-03-06T13:32:16.399+00:002010-03-06T13:32:16.399+00:00Dean.... Also refer you to Doug's post.Dean.... Also refer you to Doug's post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-72991020867342666952010-03-06T13:31:55.319+00:002010-03-06T13:31:55.319+00:00Dean: As I said to Munguin, the debates are party ...Dean: As I said to Munguin, the debates are party leader debates. None of the party leaders is standing as Prime Minister, since that has now been disallowed following a Scottish Election where Alex Salmond stood as FM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-91344200269354832332010-03-06T13:29:44.339+00:002010-03-06T13:29:44.339+00:00Yes Munguin: Stewart Hosie was excellent. He remai...Yes Munguin: Stewart Hosie was excellent. He remained cool and collected in the face of the banshee from the Labour Party (sorry, but she was) who refused to address the issues and preferred to make the same point over again that Alex Salmond isn't standing as PM. This misses the point that neither is, under our system mr Brown, Mr Clegg or Mr Cameron standing as PM.<br /><br />They are standing in their constituencies as MPs; they are taking part in the debates as party leaders; there is a disconnect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-44204236306137199212010-03-06T10:29:30.813+00:002010-03-06T10:29:30.813+00:00"From my personal point of view given that: a...<i>"From my personal point of view given that: all over the UK there are parties who have the right to be heard; only two could provide the next UK prime minister; since devolution many policies do not affect the whole of the UK; the UK has a parliamentary democracy and not a presidential system.... We should not have presidential debates."</i><br /><br />A point I agree with entirely. The system devised for calculating the amount of airtime that the various parties get is based not on their chance to provide the PM but on the number of candidates they field and on their past performances in elections. The amount of airtime is worked out for each home nation not for the UK and each home nation has a different set of parties which are recognised by OFCOM.<br /><br />To try and graft a UK wide "presidential debate" on to a system which works on the basis of party airtime within each home nation is something that only those who are infatuated with US politics and who regard the UK as Greater England with celtic provinces would try and do.<br /><br />The <a href="http://bellacaledonia.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/media-democracy/#comment-610" rel="nofollow">comment I posted on Bellacaledonia</a> lays out why the, "Presidential Debate", format is illegal and provides links to the documents concerned.DougtheDughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02952281599715356995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-42081503998843941972010-03-06T09:53:33.919+00:002010-03-06T09:53:33.919+00:00Come on guys, Salmond isn't even going to be a...Come on guys, Salmond isn't even going to be a candidate in this election!Dean MacKinnon-Thomsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221192592535723681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-61916009008979392942010-03-06T09:07:00.549+00:002010-03-06T09:07:00.549+00:00A sterling performance from Stewart I though consi...A sterling performance from Stewart I though considering that stupid labour woman. She is a perfect example of all woman short lists with the only thing to her credit being that she dumped Michael Forsythe in 1997.Munguinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16475165830302054002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-59912097399300809872010-03-05T19:56:55.345+00:002010-03-05T19:56:55.345+00:00Well Sophia, you gotta still be here at the next R...Well Sophia, you gotta still be here at the next REAL general election. We can't do it all without you! Besides just think of the fun of two votes. Makes the walk to the polling station worthwhile!!<br /><br />You're right, it has for many of us become a side show (a pantomime some would say). What matters to us most is run from Edinburgh. We care about our kids getting an education and though it's not up to scratch, it's a sight better than in England; likewise our hospitals in the hands of Nicola and Shona are a sight better than with Andy Burnham. Our police and courts, our transport and so on, even under Lib/Labs were better run from Edinburgh.<br /><br />What is important and still done by England is our tax, pensions, and the bloody wars these people have to fight to keep on the right side of America. We need to take that away from them before they waste all our oil greasing their way in to President Obama's....erm favour!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-3410151605657484692010-03-05T18:55:22.406+00:002010-03-05T18:55:22.406+00:00Let's face it tris, this is a rigged election ...Let's face it tris, this is a rigged election which will never reflect the views of the people. The disparity 'tween votes cast and seats won will be vast and non-sensical. The tories and the libdems will get, speaking very roughly, about the same. One party will elect up to a dozen if lucky, the other up to a brace, if very lucky.<br /><br />The focus of the Scottish body politic, the point where the country hinges, the place where its future will be decided, that place is now Holyrood. That is the fact of Devolution.<br /><br />When we said 'There shall be a Scottish Parliament' we announced the re-creation of a nation. Now we can see the results of that statement. The Westminster assembly becomes a side-show, a drag into our past.<br /><br />The foamings of the London leaders about their three-ring circus are nothing more than wraithes fae the grave. They might make ye shit yerself, but they cannae really hurt ye.<br /><br />Ah'm mair lookin' forward tae see next year's debates, if ah'm still here. Tae seein' Big Alec playin' wi Auntie Bella, Wee Tavish, an' whoever's leadin' the Labour sect by then, if they have anybody left.<br /><br />It's a better election anyroads. Ye get twa votes. Double the fun, double the heids-up tae ma grannie!Sophia Panglosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10089164117446635962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-9370706807929501442010-03-05T17:41:08.672+00:002010-03-05T17:41:08.672+00:00For anyone wishing to make a complaint about the S...For anyone wishing to make a complaint about the SNP being excluded from the Party Leaders' debates, the link to the BBC's complaints service is below:<br /> <br />https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-84645791705057380282010-03-05T17:31:46.166+00:002010-03-05T17:31:46.166+00:00Dubbieside: I think you have a good point. I'm...Dubbieside: I think you have a good point. I'm sure they would argue (technically correctly) that we have a Scottish prime minister and until recently a Scottish war minster.... and that it is the business of Westminster what the forces do.<br /><br />My personal belief is that the Scottish government should decide where and why Scottish soldiers are depolyed. But I know that legally my viewpoint is wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-39476811055916751192010-03-05T17:18:40.560+00:002010-03-05T17:18:40.560+00:00Well, you have a good point QM. But by the same to...Well, you have a good point QM. But by the same token I imagine that crime, prisons, education, health, farming, fisheries, local government, environment, transport, etc will come up in these debates, and that they will be dealt with from an English point of view. <br /><br />Completely naturally of course. In Scotland we understand that England is a huge country (by population) and that the bulk of the licence fee comes from there. What the Welsh Health Secretary is doing is no interest to you or me, because it won't affect us. What the Environment Minister in NI is proposing is of no interest at all to the rest of us.<br /><br />By the same token, I'm sure you see, that whether you have academies and trust hospitals (I’d advise against the latter btw... they seem to kill off half their patients whilst trying to reach bonus getting targets)...... is likewise of no interest to the rest of us, but it seems like we will have to sit through it, or at least pay for it through our licence fees. The unfortunate thing is that Clegg, Cameron and Brown can’t discuss the Scottish perspective, or the Welsh one or Irish one, because they have no authority to. But how many people will sit and listen to the English position on something, not actually being aware that this is nothing to do with them, and possibly vote according to their likes or dislikes of a policy? You would be amazed how many people don’t have much of an idea who deals with what.<br /><br />It’s like we all have to listen to a French election broadcast...<br /><br />My point is that it is an inappropriate form of information dissemination for various reasons....<br /><br />I don’t think Eck wants to put polis on your street by the way...... :¬)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-91257486962221122442010-03-05T17:04:18.765+00:002010-03-05T17:04:18.765+00:00Dubbieside: I agree about the tax, most of which i...Dubbieside: I agree about the tax, most of which is spent in England, on Scottish households that wish to watch ITV 3 or Fourmore, or Sky sports, etc.<br /><br />I hate that tax. I've bought a tv recently and it sits for almost the entire time in the corner of the room costing me money to pay for people getting super first class flights to Thailand.... What!?!?!?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-86681329832383288972010-03-05T16:59:43.797+00:002010-03-05T16:59:43.797+00:00If any of these debates covered defense Salmond mu...If any of these debates covered defense Salmond must be there because of the amount of Scottish troops in Afghanistan. If Trident is discussed, where it is based might just come up.<br /><br />If the economy is raised, who flushed the UK economy down the toilet, with a knock on effect in Scotland, Salmond should be there. As he is the only economist among them maybe the rest might learn something.<br /><br />I do not want to listen to debate about, English hospitals, education or law and order, so the only sensible option is English only debates on these items, broadcast only in England, and one UK wide on the economy, and defense.Dubbiesidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14351210091827242674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-44972201572093448082010-03-05T16:42:10.633+00:002010-03-05T16:42:10.633+00:00Why would I an Englishman want to listen to Salmon...Why would I an Englishman want to listen to Salmond debating with Brown, Cameron or Clegg? Not as if it's relevant to me unless the SNP start putting PPC's into Kent.<br /><br />Apart from that, good point :-DQuiet_Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09575652127079681825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-10029066638114897172010-03-05T16:38:22.595+00:002010-03-05T16:38:22.595+00:00If this is the beginning of the end of Londons TV ...If this is the beginning of the end of Londons TV tax then that will be a great irony.<br /><br />Will I miss the England cricket scores, or the latest about John Terry, no. Or Education, hospitals or crime, no wait thats England only when it is on the 6 o clock Pravda broadcast.<br /><br />Would I rather keep the £100 plus the TV tax costs me, you bet.Dubbiesidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14351210091827242674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-47901775485917776812010-03-05T16:35:13.964+00:002010-03-05T16:35:13.964+00:00I doubt if I shall either Subrosa. The thought of ...I doubt if I shall either Subrosa. The thought of 90 minutes with Brown and Cameron in the living room is sickening, specially if they are lying about English policies instead of policies that will actually effect me. Sorry, did I say lying; I meant er talking of course.<br /><br />You were quick off the mark there SR... The ink is barely dry on this article :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092475090824666694.post-71454864844959388572010-03-05T16:30:34.925+00:002010-03-05T16:30:34.925+00:00Tris, I'm not going to bother watching them. ...Tris, I'm not going to bother watching them. I can't be doing with all the pre-planned soundbites and drivel they talk. None has anything new to say.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.com