JIM McGOVERN IN SHOCK RESIGNATION... AND THE INCREASING AGE OF RETIREMENT

Jim McGovern has stood down as Labour candidate for Dundee West, just over a month before the election.

McGovern has been MP for Dundee West since 2005 when Ernie Ross stood down due to ill health. 

I realised when I started to write this that, despite his being an MP for 10 years in my neighbouring constituency, I knew nothing about him and had only memories of one story about him. 

That was the occasion when he cost the taxpayer £27,000 fighting for a £23.90 expenses claim. 

It turns out from his Wikipedia page that there isn't much more to know, so I feel a little vindicated. But credit to him for standing up for his beliefs when the Labour Party wanted to privatise the Post office.

I remember too, seeing a Youtube video of him introducing Jim Murphy in Dundee on his 100 days of Irn Bru tour. McGovern starting his intro with the word "Comrades", which made me laugh a bit, and I imagine made Jim Murphy squirm!

Mr McGovern gives on-going ill-heath as his reason for standing down at this stage, and Munguin's Republic wishes him a speedy recovery from what ails him and hopes that the relaxation of retirement will aid his recovery process.

It may be well for politicians of all stripes to remember at this point that, as people get older, they become less able to cope with the demands of full time work. Parties seem determined to increase and increase the age at which one can retire, and Labour has just confirmed that, in government, it would continue to follow this path. 

This policy, of course, is based on the ever increasing life expectancy of the UK population at large, but takes little account of people's reducing capacity for the famed "hard work" so beloved of our politicians, as years pass by. 

We may all live to be 100 now, but it doesn't mean that we continue to be fit for work, nor does it mean that employers are happy to accommodate our older people.

It might be a good idea for politicians to look at how life can be made easier for those who are simply not well enough to go on working, but who are not in the fortunate financial situation to be able to stop work.

In the meantime I understand that Labour has only a few days to find a candidate for the seat before the time for candidate nominations close.

Good luck with that.

ALLAN GROGAN'S LETTER TO THE DUNDEE COURIER

Dear Sir,

Today in a crucial vote in Westminster in which a further £30 billion in austerity cuts was voted upon the people of Dundee West were once again unrepresented. Jim McGovern MP joined a list of notable absentees including the new Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy.

We should not be surprised that Mr McGovern missed the vote. Yyour own paper covered his recent absence “Fury at Dundee MP for missing crucial ‘bedroom tax’ vote”. (20/12/14).

This no show highlights how little regard he has for his constituents, showing little empathy for those in his ward who are already struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. Once again Mr McGovern will not show face and stand up for the people he is paid to represent.

Again the question must be asked; other than take home a large pay check and over £200,000 a year in expenses.... What exactly does Jim McGovern do for the people of Dundee West?

Allan Grogan
Scottish Socialist Party.

I too, would like to know what he was doing. Thank heavens he is not my MP but he's from my town, and many of my friends are saddled with him. If he's not going to turn up for these votes, what use is he, and why are we paying him a salary 3 times the average wage. 

High time he was gone and an MP that actually represents the constituency was elected. I trust he won't be standing in May. In most cases a standing MP as candidate is considered an asset to the party. I doubt he is. I've yet to hear anyone with a good word to say about him.

Dundee constituencies to get new names.

Dundee’s two Scottish Parliamentary seats are to get new names following a review by the Boundary Commission. Instead of Dundee East and Dundee West the two will become Dundee City East and Dundee City West.

One wonders what it is they have to do all day at the Boundary Commission if this is what they come up with to justify their statutory existence. And this after what the Dundee Courier revealed as “lengthy considerations”. So now everything with Dundee East and Dundee West has to be reprinted to show the word “city” inserted.

In these times of straitened financial circumstances I am sure that I can speak for the people of Dundee when I say that in the Dunkirk spirit we would be quite happy to soldier on with the old names for the time being thus obviating the need for expense.

There is also to be some tinkering with the seats to make them more strictly apply to the boundaries of the Dundee local authority. Once again though surely a matter of common sense and hardly the result of a lengthy review.

The report now has to go to Scottish Secretary, Danny Alexander who will lay the document before the wee Scottish bit of the English Parliament (but English MPs can vote on it). Ridiculous though these changes are they are our changes and ought to be decided by our Parliament.