Danny Alexander is a great fan of golf, and just to prove it here he is (above) at the Scottish Open, where he appears to have got into the swing of things by donning a lounge suit and taking off his tie. He fits right in don’t you think?
Some of the more cynical among us might say that this is a cynical ploy by the MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey to implement a policy of damage limitation after he claimed responsibility (indeed he was proud of it) for the Tory led coalition’s cynical tax grab that robbed £2 billion a year from the north east economy so that English motorists could have 1p off a litre of petrol. A tax drop that was wiped out in a matter of days as prices at the pump continued to rocket. Never mind! Danny has now taken great pride in implementing a £50 million a year U-turn that will give tax breaks to those exploiting the more marginal fields. You don’t have to be Chief Secretary to the Treasury to figure out that £2 billion minus £50 million is still a huge £1.95 billion hole in the north east economy. No wonder Danny has whizzed off to the Scottish Open to do a bit of glad handing. I’m amazed he has not claimed full responsibility for bringing the Open to Inverness.
In other Lib Dem related news failed Fife MP and leader of the Lib Dem groupette at Holyrood, Willie Rennie has been bumping his gums in the press again. How is it that with only five MSPs (less than the Greens or the SSP in 2003) Rennie manages to get so much media coverage when we really ought to be ignoring him and his “party”. This time he is getting all het up about Alex Salmond encouraging erstwhile Lib Dem voters to come over to the SNP, with more or less everybody else. Willie seems to think that Alex is poaching his voters. Willie if they don’t vote for you any more they are not really your voters!
Once upon a time I had some respect for the Liberals. Of the measures that came out of a Labour dominated Holyrood in its first 8 years, and which were distinct from those of the Labour government in England, the best were Liberal led.
ReplyDeleteSo what have they done for a bit of power?
As for Willie: He genuinely seems to have more autonomy as a leader than either Iain Gray (who, I admit, would make a mess of more power) or Annabel Goldie (who would not).
Tavish was damned for trying to take credit for the "good" stuff that the Liberals had done in England, and hide behind "you'll have to ask Nick Clegg about that", on the bad. So the new leader had to make a choice. Was he essentially behind the Liberals march to the right in England, or was he for keeping them to the left of Labour in Scotland.
Given the political landscape in Scotland and the history of the Liberals, I know which I would have chosen.
It wouldn't take a political anorak to recognise that the policies of the Coalition are not only unpopular in Scotland (and I accept that governments sometimes have to do unpopular things), but are also damaging Scotland.
So why, oh why, has Rennie thrown himself body and soul behind their actions, some of which are clearly ideologically led, and of which Thatcher would be proud?
The search continues for LibDem voters!
ReplyDeleteThe copper knob has angered the gods and brought flooding to the golf open trying to deflate the local economy, if only the SNP hadn't got a majority the sun would of shone.
That 'money grab' is actually to keep wholesale prices at the pumps down ... but don't let this FACT get in the way of another chance to push a separatist anti-Tory and anti-Union agenda ...
ReplyDelete-- but don't worry, I'll still love you all --
:P
Tris I have no idea. I only assume that Willie still thinks he is an MP! Or least ways wishes he was, let’s face it he made no effort at all to become an MSP never having done any canvassing (except of the Fife Lib Dem members to propel himself up their regional list), he never stood in any constituency and so he clearly feels that being an MSP rather than an MP is second best. Rather like Labour really. He must still be starry eyed over ex-leader Nick (turncoat) Clegg and, therefore, desperate to fall in line with his coat tails. He probably aspires to be an MP again one day. So Holyrood is only a temporary gravy train.
ReplyDeleteCH It's nice to see Danny get into the swing of the game he so enjoys by making no effort to dress appropriately. I wonder if he got his mashie niblick out?
ReplyDeleteDean: is it? So when is that wholesale price drop actually going to happen?
ReplyDeleteI’m amazed that you don’t think that the tax grab is a fact. If it is not then why the need for the 50 million U-turn. But I will tell you what we wont let what you perceive to be FACT from your rose tinted ivory tower on planet Tory get in our way any more than you do. We wouldn’t have it any other way LOL ;-)
LOL @ Dean...
ReplyDeleteI see that the price of petrol has reduced by about 3p a litre, which is welcome, but it's not due to anything that Danny Alexander did.
And I have to say that the tax grab from Scotland so that the bulk of the population in England can enjoy cheaper petrol, even had it worked, would have been a bitter pill to swallow north of the border.
I know you really wouldn't be surprised to find Munguin's Republic engaged in an Anti-Unionist agenda (not Anti Tory incidentally...I'd refer you to my article of last week praising Annabel Goldie), but it's good to know you still love us...despite everything.
We wouldn't be without you either! ;¬)
Tris
ReplyDeleteI reckon 'that this is a cynical ploy by the MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey to implement a policy of damage limitation after he claimed responsibility (indeed he was proud of it) for the Tory led coalition’s cynical tax grab that robbed £2 billion a year from the north east economy'
So I do
the fecking little ginger rodent and i wont apologise later like a certain(two faced) Labour MP
Oh dear Niko! At least we agree on somethings lol
ReplyDeleteWillie Rennie has been bumping his gums in the press again. How is it that with only five MPs (less than the Greens or the SSP in 2003) Rennie manages to get so much media coverage when we really ought to be ignoring him and his “party”
ReplyDeleteBecause he's good and he has something relevant to say. He seems to be holding your lot to account single handedly at the moment........
Caron: the Liberal consensus may be that he is good, but I don't think his shrill moaning is seen by the public as holding anyone to account. It merely makes a good story in the papers at which we can all have a good laugh. There is a huge difference between saying something and having something to say. If it were not the case then perhaps you could explain why that “breath of fresh air” (who I think you equated with Andy Murray) Sophie Bridger lost her deposit in a contest that should have been a cake walk for experienced by-electioneer and ex-MP Rennie. Proof positive I think that Rennie’s message is only going down well with died in the wool Liberals like yourself.
ReplyDeleteMunguin.
ReplyDeleteI remember before the Scottish election this ginger rodent was sneaking about the North East saying to the media... "I'm not seeing it, just not seeing it" when quizzed about the Libs moving over to the SNP. Well he got a big ginger slap did he not.
He is doing Cameron's dirty work in Scotland and voters can see right through him. Him and Moore are nothing more than wee messenger boys for Cameron and will be slated for it at the next UK election.
I totally agree, Rennie is getting far too much media coverage for a minor party. As you rightly pointed out both the Greens and Scots Socialists had bigger representation than the current Libs yet they never enjoyed the same amount of media coverage.
So when any future leaders debates come up I wouldn't expect him to be along side Salmond, the Tory's and Labour but instead have a 30 second prerecorded clip like they did with the Greens etc.
Niko.
ReplyDeleteAll Labour MP's are two faced. Down south they're all for middle England and up here they're all for left of left subsistence policies.
Allan: I agree, the Lib Dems seem very good at getting their faces in the papers and I have no idea why. When I was last at FMQ in the chamber I watched Rennie and while he did not get to ask a question (rightly in my opinion, I would only give him one a month, so Tricia is being more than fair to them). Rennie played with his wallet, did what looked like a series of Pilates, scooted around on his chair and gossiped to that woman who sits next to him and is Lib Dem spokesperson on everything else. He did not seem to pay any attention to the proceedings and was off like a shot as soon as it was over, probably to dream up some new sound bite to get his name in the papers. I’m wondering if that is how he behaved in Westminster....in actual fact he probably did, you see the convention in Holyrood is that you don’t scream and shout at the person who is speaking like a demented child so he had to find something else to do rather than errr.......listen!
ReplyDeleteMunguin.
ReplyDeleteThat sums little Rennie up nicely, a fidgeting little arrogant brat. Yes he is the sort who likes to hear his own voice but has little or no time for others. I think he gets to ask one question every three weeks so Tricia is being rather kind to the 5 star leader as in 5 MSPs.
He was fiddling, Allan, and chatting to his neighbour while important constituency questions were being answered. Clearly he wasn't that interested in what was concerning members.
ReplyDelete