THIS SHOULD FRIGHTEN LAMONT...

It's probably a small subsample with a huge margin of error, and, as such, not a true indicator, but even near parity with the Tories in Scotland should give Ms Lamont, and her boss sleepless nights. The moral, as Nick Clegg and Tavish Scott will tell you is avoid the Tories at all costs.

YOUGOV Scotland SNP 41% CONSERVATIVES 20% LABOUR 19% LIBDEMS 9% UKIP 6% GREENS 5% Who'd make best PM? Cameron 31% Miliband 19% Clegg 7%

WHY DOES LABOUR HANG ON TO LAMONT?

Yet another First Minister's Questions disaster

Dean recently criticised me for the blog's habit of criticising Labour in general, and Lamont in particular. I make no apology for doing that. I'm not anti Labour. At heart I'm a socialist. I should find Labour a natural home.

The trouble is, of course, that although I'm a socialist, Labour isn't a socialist party.

And Lamont in particular is simply not up to the job. A government with an absolute majority needs an effective and clever opposition. That is good for the country and for the government. Scotland doesn't have one. 

Ruth Davidson, Cameron's choice, is a silly lassie, not fit to lace Annabel Goldie's boots, who should not have been a party leader within weeks of taking her seat in the chamber. Her lack of skills in the chamber is understandable. She should still be on the tea duties...and learning her trade.

But Lamont has been in the business for years. She was deputy leader before she was leader. She watched as Iain Gray and before him Wendy Alexander were caught out week after week with poorly research material that left them with egg all over their faces as Alex Salmond batted away their out of date or false accusations.

Surely you'd think lessons (as they say) would have been learned.

How on earth then could she have managed to ask a question about what the First Minister was doing about fuel prices when she must have known that the First Minister has no power to do ANYTHING whatsoever about fuel prices?

How could she have gone on to criticise the First Minister for being absent from his desk over the last two weeks... on holiday... when he had cancelled other engagements to play a very substantial part in the discussions that saved as many as 5,000 jobs in and around Grangemouth? 

Indeed as a member of Unite and leader of the main opposition in Scotland where the hell was she during this industrial crisis? You would have thought that she would have had a major role to play.

Finally, like a fishwife scratching around for something with which to wound the First Minister, she accused him of being 'for' Fred Goodwin during the financial crisis (the same Fred Goodwin Tony Blair knighted for services to banking), for being shoulder to shoulder with Rupert Murdoch during the Milly Dowler scandal (the same Rupert Murdoch to whose child Tony Blair is godfather) and then she repeated that he was with the Big 6... although it had already been explained that it was a reserved matter for Westminster.

As Salmond said, most families in Scotland wish that he had the power to intervene... for he certainly would.

This piece by Tom Gordon from the Herald captures the mood perfectly.

IT was a grisly episode ideal for Hallowe'en.

Undeterred by the lesson of Frankenstein's monster, from whom she recently borrowed a haircut, Labour's Johann Lamont took her own stab at radical transplant surgery at First Minister's Questions and botched it horribly.

With the issue proving catnip for Ed Miliband at Westminster, she asked Alex Salmond what he thought of Labour's energy bill freeze.

The imported plan was to make the FM squirm like David Cameron on a Unite picket.

"Why won't the First Minister stand up to the Big Six energy companies on behalf of the people of Scotland and back a freeze?" she asked, hoping for Milibandesque success.

Instead, brows furrowed along the SNP backbenches like a caterpillar conga.

But surely energy law is reserved? Did she want voters to dwell on energy-rich Scotland having no say on the issue in the UK?

"Johann Lamont seems to have forgotten that we don't, in this parliament, have the power over energy bills," Mr Salmond swiftly reminded her. "Just about every family in Scotland would like to see this parliament have control."

Her transplant clearly heading for rejection, Ms Lamont fumbled for some needle.

"You would think with a fortnight off, the First Minister would think about doing his job properly," she sniffed.

"Actually," the FM replied, "I have devoted, with others, a huge amount of time over the last two weeks helping to save Grangemouth. I'm not quite certain what Johann Lamont's role was."

Clawing at the air, stitches popping, Ms Lamont ended in a death rattle of low blows.

"During the banking crisis he stood up for Fred Goodwin," she howled at the FM. "At the height of the Milly Dowler phone-hacking scandal he stood shoulder to shoulder with Rupert Murdoch. Now he stands with the Big Six!"

Mr Salmond's vampire smile said it all.

"YOUR TIME HAS COME , DARLING"

By Allan Grogan

Twa Rich Embra Lawyers

Going against the grain can be a daunting, yet sometimes, uplifting experience. But in politics it is often viewed as an ink blot on your copybook – by both sides. Disagreeing with the Labour Party in its opposition to independence and founding Labour for Independence guaranteed an uncomfortable ride. Suspicion among some Nationalists as to our intentions was to be expected. But it has been closer to home where we have faced our harshest critics.

Labelled a front for the SNP by no less a figure than our Deputy Scottish Leader Anas Sarwar, we at Scottish Labour for Independence (SLFI) have taken these accusations on the chin while insisting that independence will not only be good for Scotland, but for the Labour Party too.

Funnily enough, we never attended an SNP conference, meeting or social event. So it came as some surprise to me when I read that our former Chancellor, eminent Labour politician and Chairman of the Better Together campaign, Alistair Darling, was to appear at the Scottish Conservative conference in Stirling.

If nothing else comes from this referendum, surely this indicates a seismic shift within the Labour Party in Scotland. The sight of a senior Labour politician at a Tory conference must have Keir Hardie, Bevan, Smith and Dewar burling in their graves.

The Labour Party's very foundations are fairness and equality, so in the interests of these values let's ask: If I were to represent SLFI by speaking at the SNP conference, how many of my party members would call for my immediate expulsion?

Other questions about Mr Darling’s curious decision need to be asked. Was our Scottish leader Johann Lamont, for example, aware of this engagement? If so did she try to forbid it?

If the answer is yes, then surely Mr Darling’s actions present a clear and present danger to the Scottish Labour Party.

The truth is that many within Labour are no longer sure where their party lies within the No camp. Was it a voice of protest from within the membership calling for a removal of Labour from Better Together that prompted the creation of United with Labour? If this is the case, then why is Mr Darling still the head of BT? More importantly, why is he given carte blanche to speak at another party's conference?

One Posh Boy from Oxford

I accept that currently SLFI is in a minority within the Labour Party in relation to the referendum. I also concede that when I speak, I do not do so for the Labour Party; I do not have that mandate. But nor does the Labour leadership, because they have acted without a members’ vote on such a crucial issue.

Yet I want to make clear that our issue is not with the Labour Party, the members, supporters and voters... we are still among you. Our battle is against the top brass taking our party to the brink of the abyss in Scotland.

In Westminster we are seeing Labour chase the tail of UKIP and the Tories. The desire to gain election-winning votes in Southern England is causing Labour to be further removed from its values and founding principles. One need only look at Ed Balls for proof of this. Despite demanding a Plan B for three years, he now declares Labour will continue the austerity package. This means further cuts, harder days and nights ahead for the poorest and most vulnerable. Some of the poorest right here in this country.

This is not why I, nor most Labour members in Scotland, joined the party.

Independence is not, of course a silver bullet. There is no magic potion to Scotland's ills. But many a learner driver will tell you that the only way to succeed is to have full control of all the levers of power.

For those within my party who say that a change of government is all that's needed, let me say this: If the imposition of the Bedroom Tax, ATOS deciding disability benefits, and anti -trade union laws, are not enough to convince you Scotland can do better, then the fact that the Labour Party in Westminster either voted for or abstained on these issues surely must.

It occurs to me that the longer Labour for Independence has been in existence the further the UK Labour Party moves to the right. But the more this happens, the more it proves our message to be true. Labour for Independence doesn’t just believe in Labour policy. We believe in what Labour truly stands for. We believe in a vision of a society based on equality, fairness and justice. We believe in a society for all. This vision is not only shared by members of our party but by former members, voters and supporters yet to come.

We are proud of Labour's trade union links, not because they fund us, but of who and what they represent. Most importantly we are proud to support Scottish independence, not as a final destination, but a starting point to a better, fairer and more socially just society.

At the Stirling Conference there were those listening to Mr Darling - and there were many more outside protesting the UK Government’s actions.

Labour for Independence was outside, with the people, where Labour belongs.

  

This is the full version of the extract that appeared in the Daily Record on Saturday 15th June, 2013 and has been lifted by me (Tris) from the Labour for Independence site.

SNAPS FOR SATURDAY

Over the last couple of weeks I've been saving pictures for articles I thought I might write, but didn't get around to... Of course they are now out of date, and you may have seen them anyway, but in case you haven't, here they are for your delectation. As always, they can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Whit an eejit, indeed!

Morecambe and Unwise

Ah, that's quite something for a lassie from Anderston

Doubtless he thinks about it first thing in the morning until last thing at night.

Stop the world, we want to get on, to quote a weel kent phrase or saying.

As we said. whit an eejit.

Of course it is, Boris. Londoners are far more important than mere Scotchmen

Being nice to ghastly little plebs, huh? I must have blinked and missed it.

Actually, it really does suit her.

Looks like Alistair has his hand on Annabel's shoulder. I hope he won't ask her about her tartan knickers!

WHITHER THE TORIES...AND UNDER WHOM?

Jackson Carlaw has had a bright idea to get new blood into the Scottish Tories in parliament. Unlike his rival, and still favourite for the leadership job, Murdo Fraser, he does not intent to scrap the party and start again with something less tarnished.

He wants to get fresh blood into the existing Conservative party by regulating who can stand. Those who cannot get themselves elected to a first-past–the-post seat, will not be able to serve in PR list seats for more than (and here he’s sketchy on detail) 3 or 4 parliaments.

This might solve the problem of Murdo and his place in a party that goes on being a branch office of the London Tory party, and of the popular, highly experience current leader Annabel Goldie. Both of them would be obliged to stand down were he to set the bench mark at 3 parliamentary sessions.

His idea was based on the experience of David Cameron at Westminster (wouldn’t you just believe it) who decided that to get rid of dead wood in the English party and persuaded old hands to stand down in favour of what he called “A-list” candidates. Jackson might like to note that this has not necessarily been terribly successful for Mr Cameron. Many of the famed “A-list” appear to have minds of their own. (There seems almost no chance of a repeal of the “Hunting with Dogs Act”, thanks to the fact that his A-listers won’t vote for it.)

Of course JC has a point. If people are not performing well as MSPs, and Jackson seems to think that some are not, it shouldn’t be automatic that they retain their place at the top of the regional list. On the other hand if they have performed well, as, for example, has Annabel, it is hardly fair or right that he should remove them. (Unless of course he prefers to have his ex-boss out of the way so that she can’t outshine him.)

Everyone thought that Murdo was finished when he came up with the idea of selling the [Scottish] Tory Party for scrap, but they didn’t reckon with old Jackson and his desire to get rid of experience and bring in a pile of newbies. Newbies like, for example Ruth Davidson, who showed how in touch she was with Scottish voters when she dismissed the notion that Thatcher was still a malign influence. SHE, at 33, had hardly even heard of Maggie, was just a toddler when the Ironing Lady ... no sorry, Iron Lady... was on the throne, and therefore few of the rest of the population should remember her either. Idiot!

She also declared, despite the vast majority of the population wanting more power for the Scottish parliament, that she will veto it if she becomes leader. Bravo, you silly lassie. Best thing you could do, is sit and watch how Annabel does things, learn your lessons from a woman who knows what she is doing for another 10 years or so, and then think about leadership.

Clearly I don’t have a vote in the election, but, if I did Jackson Carlaw and Ruth Davidson wouldn’t get my vote in a thousand years. They are a pair of diddies.

Controversial though it is, Murdo’s idea to kill the Scottish branch of the English Tories stone dead is the only possibility. If there is to be a centre right party in Scotland (and there should be) then it needs to be a new one with only a fraternal connection with the Conservatives.

Pics: Jackson Carlaw, Ruth Davidson (don't you think she looks like a younger Wendy?) and Murdo Fraser.

PS: You can vote for your favoured candidate at Subrosa's blog

DEAFNESS AFFLICTS RETIRING PARTY LEADERS

Anyone watching the early parts of First Minister's Questions this week would have been entitled to wonder that it wasn't some spoof cleverly recreating the weekly opportunity to question Alex Salmond, dreamed up and executed by Rory Bremner in a series of guises.

Iain Gray, the outgoing, or maybe not outgoing leader of the Labour group was at his comedy best. (I say may not be outgoing because he may have to stay on. You see, the only 2 people who appear to want the poison chalice of leading this group are (a) someone who can't really have it, on the basis that you can't be leader of the Labour group IN the Scottish parliament if you are, erm, not actually a member of, and therefore IN the Scottish parliament, and (b) Johann Lamont... who erm.. is ...erm, Johann Lamont!

Anyway, Iain, bless him, decided to go on the referendum on independence. He'd probably have done better sticking to the subject of the first question: What are the FM's engagements for the rest of the day?

But no, independence referendum it was. So Alex explained to him three or was it four times... I lost the will to live after the first couple of times... The manifesto said that it would take place sometime in the second half of a five year parliament. This is the first year, or put another way, year 1. There is year 2 to go, and half of year 3 before we will be into the second part of the parliament. From then on it might be reasonable to ask. Right now it is not. More seriously he pointed out that jobs were the priority for the moment.

Now all of that was just pathetic Iain Gray stuff, pretty much par for the course, but for his last question; the pièce de resistance if you will, Iain produced a photograph of a lady he announced was "Gypsy Amalia" in conversation with the First Minister. Maybe we should ask her about the date for the referendum... quipped the funny man. And, as her prices for a reading range from £5 - £30 wasn't she a bit like the plan for "separation" [sic]. You didn't know the cost till the deed was done. How we laughed!

Looking pleased with himself (as well he might) Iain Gray sat down, secure in the knowledge that this one must have, at long last, hit home.

Silly Iain. Alex said he remembered the occasion. The lady always had a stall at the Turrif show in Alex's constituency, and on that occasion she had read his palm and predicted that the SNP would win the election, and it hadn't cost a bean. Maybe, suggested the FM, we could ask her who would be the next Labour leader. Ouch!

Strangely my friend Annabel seemed stricken with the same inability to understand the answer at the first answering. She asked what currency Scotland would use after independence. (Why not borrow a Liberal question, Annabel; after all your mate Cameron is in hock to them according to the fragrant Nadine.) Alex referred her to the answer in a written report dated some time ago, including the page and paragraph numbers. She said he hadn't answered the question, so he read out the aforementioned paragraphs. Annabel still hadn't understood so she must have requested and been granted a further question. All in good humour, mixed with jokes about the forthcoming demise of the Tory party in Scotland, Alex told her that, in the period after the granting of independence, the pound sterling would continue to be the currency until the Scottish people had the chance to decide for themselves which currency they would use.

At long last, Bella seemed to grasp "THE POUND".

Although the second part of FMQs got under way, with sensible questions from MSPs about such matters as blood donations from gay men and the NHS, and Libya, Lockerby and Al Megrahi, it was a relief when the wretched thing was over.

Pic: Johann Lamont. What is it about Labour that they always need to bring in props. It's like "show and tell" that we had at primary school.

WILLIE HOLDS THE SNP TO ACCOUNT FROM A VANTAGE POINT OF -14% SATISFACTION RATING

I’m indebted to Cynical Highlander for bringing an IPSOS-Mori Poll to my intention.

As you can see from the link the figures are, to say the least, encouraging.

On a poll of 1002 Scottish adults in the last few days of August, the voting intentions for the constituency members show a substantial lead for the SNP over Labour. Of those certain to vote, the difference is 49% to 28% in the SNP’s favour. The Tories are on 12% and the Liberals on 7%.

The figures for the total expressing a favoured party are not substantially different with the SNP on 47% and Labour on 30%. The Tories remain of 12% and the Liberals lose one to show 6%.

The graph of the constituency trend since 2005 shows a general upward trend for the SNP with a small dip in late 2009 – 2010 and then a surge towards the election, and even more of a surge since, to end at 49%.

Labour started off in the mid 30s, dipped and surged in time to take a nose dive from 40 in late 2010, to 30 at the election and 28 now. The Tories are fairly flat lined with a few small dips and rises, but ending up a little lower on 13%. The Liberals lost some ground in the early part of the graph but needless to say, as a result of getting in to bed with Cameron in England, they slipped from middle teens at the English elections to 7% now...down by around a point from the election.

The Westminster voting intentions look encouraging too, with the SNP having a lead over Labour of 7-9%. Of course that would still be likely to leave Labour with far and away the largest number of seats, but it is encouraging that support for the SNP is holding up. It is particularly cheering that since the election for Westminster, Labour’s votes have reduced substantially and ours have risen even more dramatically.

A limited leaders’ satisfaction poll was taken, leaving out Annabel and Gray, both of whom are to stand down (and apparently no one thought to include Patrick).

So we have the battle of the giants... or rather the giant, and Willie.

Alex has an approval rating of 62%, not bad after 4 years of being First Minister; Willie on the other hand has, after 4 months of being leader, a satisfaction rating of 17%!

Hold away Willie, maybe someday someone will notice you’re there.

IN WHICH TRIS PASSES TIME WITH TWO CHARMING PARLIAMENTARY LADIES

I was at parliament in Edinburgh today. As this was the last day of term for MSPs, when the First Minister rose to answer Annabel Goldie’s first question, which related to the FM and PM meeting, he spoke warmly of her contribution to politics in Scotland, and about how much he had enjoyed her good humoured upbraiding over the last four years. (Annabel is standing down as leader later in the year.) Mind you, although she thanked him warmly, it didn’t stop her getting stuck into him over health and education questions, nor him hitting back in a humorous manner.

Now I’m politically opposed to much that she stands for (although I was behind her drive to double the number of extra police that the last government put on the streets, among a few other things), but she is a clever woman who, somewhat adeptly, took to the idea of multi political party chambers far better than Labour leaders ever did. When a minority government came along, one that couldn’t operate at all without the co-operation of other parties, Annabel rose to the challenge and worked with the SNP to get Conservative priorities included in the legislative programme, in return for voting for the budget and the continuance of government. Personally I think that on the whole that co-operation has been to the advantage of Scotland.

Shortly after lunch I met her and had the opportunity to chat for a short while. Face to face she is charming. Quietly spoken, and with beautiful manners, she is far prettier and younger than she appears either on television or in her photographs.

I put it to her that, as polls show that she is more popular than the party she leads, was it not a mistake for her to stand down as leader. She expressed herself, modestly, somewhat doubtful that she was indeed more popular that the Tory party, but explained that she had to be thinking of the future of the party over the next 5 or 6 years and felt that the time was right for her to make way for a younger person. She spoke warmly of Alex as a dominant force in Scottish politics and was glad to have been able to take him to task over the last 4 -5 years. It was clear that on a personal level there is a deal of mutual respect and affection between them.

I’m sure she’s an avid reader of Munguin’s Republic, so I’ll thank her for the time she spent with me. I know she was busy, and I appreciated that she made the time for me.

I should say too that I become more and more proud of my own MSP, Shona Robison, who made a short speech of welcome to a group of visitors to parliament, and fielded an impromptu question and answer session. Her professionalism and her warm sense of humour, together with a down-to earth attitude, makes everyone feel at ease and enjoy sessions like these, where she speaks so knowledgeably, and with such enthusiasm, of our parliament and our country.

So thank you too, to Shona. I know that the 60 people who visited today enjoyed every moment of their trip.

Pics: Annabel Goldie and Shona Robison

STAY PUT ANNABEL: YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THE SCOTS WILL LISTEN TO

There have been calls for Annabel Goldie to join the ranks of the departing leaders at Holyrood. She has said she won’t go.

I say good for her. Why would the acceptable face of the Tory Party resign?

There have been losses, small compared to the other two parties, but losses nonetheless. However, I think that without Goldie, who is liked by Scots (she was behind Alex in popularity, but above the other two) the losses would have been far worse.

It’s an image problem. The Tories are associated with a variety of things, mostly old, mostly stuffy, and the first thing I would do is change the name and make it independent of, if associated with, the London Party. For as long as it is called the CONSERVATVE party, it will be associated with Thatcher and Forsyth.

They are poison...Thatcher appears to have left the public arena now, but every time that man opens his mouth with an idea so counter democratic, he makes the Tory’s situation worse.

The people of Scotland voted for the SNP only 3 days ago; they slaughtered Labour and Liberals and holed the Tories enough for them to be talking about ditching Annabel.

And then this memory from the dim and distant past puts a proposal that he will introduce a measure in the unelected House to spike the duly elected government’s independence referendum.

This is a government which the system was designed to prevent ever being elected... and yet they were, by sheer dint of numbers. With an overall majority of 10. And Forsythe wants to spike its guns a couple of days after its election?

You see what I mean about these people? They live in another world and have begun to see themselves as above democracy. “We put in a system you Scots weren’t supposed to be able to win through. Somehow you did. However we’ll spike you in the Lords.”

So I have a message to Forsyth.

Will you bloody well listen you silly little man? You may be sitting in an unelected house of peers; you may even be considered by your colleagues to be an elder statesman (although you were only ever SOS for Scotland, hardly a big gun), however, there is a “just elected” government in Scotland. Just elected with an unassailable majority. Listen to what the people have said. Don’t try to thwart democracy when it doesn't throw up what YOU wanted.

It is claimed that Alex Salmond hid the independence theme right the way through the election. Rubbish! I doubt if anyone who went to vote doesn’t know that the SNP is the independence party.

OK, it was NOT the story that people were asking about. (I went to a few hustings and it was never mentioned once.) But even if there are some people who are unimaginably stupid, and thought we were a unionist party, both Tavish and the Subway man short work of that with their “IF YOU VOTE SNP, YOU ARE VOTING FOR INDEPENDENCE” campaign, which of course was a lie. You were actually voting for a VOTE on independence, among a great number of other things. But hey, that’s politics.

So Tories, by all means have your conference; find out what went wrong and act on it. But remember:

Annabel is well liked, and a huge amount of the blame must rest with Cameron coming up here and telling us we could do better. You need to take into consideration that we are aware of the cuts, job losses and misery that you are causing. And finally tell relics like Forsyth to sit quietly in the Lords, collect their drink money, and SHUT UP.

Alex Salmond used to Praise the Lord when Thatcher came to campaign in Scotland. I imagine he must feel the same about Cameron.

And every time Forsyth opens his mouth the SNP cheer and go up in the polls.

ON MAY 5.....

For a better future: VOTE SNP and SNP.

And don't think we're so far ahead that YOUR vote doesn't count. We need you.

Indeed YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU to go out and vote SNP.

Can you imagine Subway Sam running, or rather running away from, the country.

Think Jackie Baillie at Health, Johanna Lamont at Communities, Andy Kerr running our budget, and worst of all, think Richard Baker in charge of anything at all, even the tea fund?

It doesn't bare thinking about. They rubbished all the SNP policies for 4 years and then, with only a few days to go, they only went and adopted them.

Between running into Subway and out of ASDA, Gray has made a lamentable job of attacking the Tories, who are not in power, and then concentrating on the "Crazy" idea of independence.

The "Crazy" idea of Scots running Scotland, with authority to raise taxes which are appropriate, pay pensioners enough to keep them from dying in the winter, and decide who we're going to war with... ?Yeah crazy if you're thinking Iain Gray. But not so daft with the SNP's team.

Oh, and Iain, it's the Scots people who will decide in a Referendum; not Alex Salmond, not you, not parliament, not even Auntie Annabel... US!

It doesn't bare thinking about having a bloke like Gray as first minister.

So, let's hope we Scots elect and SNP government tomorrow with a clear mandate to take us forward to a safer, fairer country... with Alex Salmond as First Minister.

MORE RANDOM RAMBLINGS

* Am I the only one who thought that the Times headline the other day was wrong. EVERY ONE IN FIVE.... YOUNG ARE OUT OF WORK. The second part of the headline is approximate (and I can’t check it because it’s behind a pay wall), but it’s the first part that concerned me. It should surely read “ONE IN EVERY FIVE........” To think it used to be a newspaper of record!

* The Metropolitan police are the most incompetent lot, aren’t they? They seem to get precious little right. Now English high court has ruled that the way in which they kettled people during the G20 demonstrations in April 2009, was illegal. The court heard that police used mass detention against peaceful protesters, and that officers punched faces, slapped and hit out with shields as they tried to move a demonstration against climate change. It has opened up the possibility that up to 5000 people may sue the police for wrongful detention. Damned right. People were kept for hours with nothing to eat and no toilet facilities crushed up against one another. I hope to never see that kind of tactic used in Edinburgh. I don’t know what happened to England’s much acclaimed free speech. The fault of course was of the management. Well no surprise there. I wonder where Commander Dick was that day. Looking for a room maybe?

* MPs have reacted with anger at a 16% cut in the BBC World Service. They say that as the BBC is undergoing only a 10% cut (I didn’t notice a 10% cut in my licence fee), it is unfair that the Foreign Office-funded World Service is being penalised. They say that the BBC is used to promote British values around the world. So that got me thinking. What are British values? Are there such things? Are values different in Scotland from in England, what about Irish and Welsh, or for that matter Cornish, Manx, Jerseyman or Guernseyman values? Are British (or any part thereof) values different from say Danish ones? The things that go through my head. Answers on a post card to the usual address with the usual prize going to the usual winner.

* Annabel Goldie was a million miles better than Tavish in her interview with Gordon Brewer, and a fair amount of what she said made sense. Why keep 14 year olds who will learn nothing more at school distracting other people who want to do well, and making teachers’ lives hell.

But Brewer didn’t ask her what she proposed to do with them, or what it would cost. You can't just let them vegetate in bed.

And although I believe absolutely in free education, I could see some sense in Annabel’s argument for graduate tax. But again Brewer missed a chance. Annabel says that everyone knows that there is a black hole in the finances, and she will use the graduate tax to fill it. But the tax won’t start trickling in for 4 years, and then pretty slowly. How will she fund universities till then? And how much will it cost for the Treasury to collect it, as we can’t tax.

And wouldn’t a tax (as opposed to a loan) encourage people to go abroad after we have educated them?

I wonder how Gray will be tonight. How will he explain the 150,000 jobs out of thin air trick he’s going to pull off? Iain Dumblegray, Scotland’s greatest wizard. Not.

* Does anyone agree with me that it might be a good idea for the government to sing from the same hymn sheet? Headlines this evening have changed from “Cable attacks Cameron”, to “Cable agrees with Cameron”. Perhaps there should be a quick meeting of top advisors at the same time as Cabinet each week with each department giving a list of the speeches its ministers are going to make, so that if there is to be a major policy disagreement it can be thrashed out before they look like a bunch of unruly kids, not after.

* Would it not be best for the News of the World to come clean now? It all looked good for a while; the Metropolitan police hadn’t really investigated and long sighs were being heaved.

But there are too many “important” people among the victims; too many with clout in the right places. It is bound to come out in the end.

In the meantime, I’d say John Prescott is bang on the nail. No matter how many dinners the Prime Minister rather stupidly has with Murdoch’s son, and no matter how unprofessional Vince Cable is, there is no way that the BskyB deal can go ahead while this is hanging over our Rupert. I’m not suggesting any impropriety you understand... but it is going to look like dodgy deal.

THE SCOTPULSE POLL GIVES THE NIGHT TO ALEX

There was an STV poll following the first of the three televised debates of leaders for the General Election. It was conducted by the tv company’s own online polling system ScotPulse. Its results make frightening reading for Iain Gray.

991 people were polled:

87% thought Alex Salmond won the debate;

7% thought it was Annabel Goldie;

5% thought Iain Gray was the winner;

and 1% thought Tavish Scott.

Over half the respondents (53%) found their view of Alex Salmond became more positive during the debate, but nearly three-quarters (74%) found their perception of Iain Gray changed negatively.

Annabel may have done herself no favours over university tuition fees, but despite that, she was seen to be the next best thing to Alex for FM.

Mr Scott has been stabbed in the back by London Liberals. Not only has the windfall tax on oil companies cost Scotland billions in investment, there is an estimated loss of 40,000 jobs to take into consideration. Maybe not all at once, but that’s a lot of employment and a lot of salaries to be spent!

It was, of course, the decision of George Osborne to levy this tax, but in some mad lemming like bid for notoriety, or to curry favour with Mr Cameron so that he may progress in the ranks of Cabinet ministers and get his own department (they may be looking around for a new Foreign Secretary soon), Danny (ginger rodent*) Alexander has claimed full responsibility for dreaming up the tax.

This may have been a tad foolish given that the biggest losses will be felt in the town of Aberdeen, where there is one now very vulnerable Liberal Democrat seat for the taking.

Iain Gray: read ths and weep.

Hey ho, isn’t politics interesting?

*allegedly (if in doubt refer to Harry Hardwoman)

PS: Top marks to Annabel for wearing a dark inobtrusive suit, like all the men necessarily had to wear. Whatever people say about her, and the Tories' policies, Annabel still strikes me as a decent sort.

FMQ: IN WHICH MIKE RUMBLES IS IN A HURRY TO GET TO LUNCH

The BBC managed, once again, to talk through the Presiding Officer's introduction of an honoured guest, so we don’t know who he was. I hope he enjoyed the ensuing half hour more than I did.

Alex announced that during the afternoon he would be meeting with the MD of the company responsible for the new tidal power project off the coast Islay, the biggest project of its kind in Europe. Gray snidely put it down, of course, and then asked a series of badly researched questions about unemployment. Really this man would make the most incredibly stupid First minister. He had no understanding of the figures, and Salmond wiped the floor with him. And, while we’re on Gray, what is it with the hand gestures. A more charitable mind than mine might find a word to go with that!

And so without wasting any more time on this fool, on to Annabel...

She highlighted a case of sexual assault which was not only horrific in itself but made all the more so because two children had been made to observe and participate. She was concerned about the fact that the guilty would be released, possibly after 3 year, but certainly after 4 years because of the early release scheme. She wanted to know why the FM had gone back on his commitment to end early releases, a fair question. I don’t mind early releases (a policy introduced to Scotland by a Conservative government); there are some good reasons for this policy. But we must start off with proper sentences. These people were sentenced to 6 years. Why not much more? Disappointing answers for the FM who returned once more to the fact that the streets are safer in Scotland because of the 1000 extra police?

And so to Tav... no, wait Mike Rumbles. Goodness, where’s the big man?

Well old Mike was so excited about getting to be standy–in Liberal leader for the afternoon that he forgot to ask the obligatory first question... but never mind, Eck, not being particularly excited, answered it for him anyway. Mike was incensed that Ballater Business Association had been snubbed by the FM when they asked him to come and talk to them about Business Rate rises. Alex replied that he had asked the Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, to see them on his behalf (there’s only so much First Minister ...well, OK, quite a lot... and many calls on his time). Mr Rumbles said that he had been at the meeting with the association and Mr Mather and that it had been a disaster. Mr Mather had done nothing to help. Of course Alex thought that was strange, as Mr Mather had received a letter from the association thanking him for his constructive input. Message to Tavish: Hurry Back. Message to Mike Rumbles: Don’t give up the day job.

There were members’ questions on Blindcraft (Edinburgh), funding thereof; Child trafficking, laws pertaining to; End year flexibility, double dealing from Danny Alexander and Nick Clegg, with reference to; Scottish Fuel Poverty, and the excellent work that they have been doing.

Then, unfortunately old Tubby had to have his say, and that was that for another week... indeed for parliament. Next Tuesday the rotund one will be back with what, if I remember rightly, he called 'a little extra' before the Chamber is suspended until after the election.

One wee plea to Iain Gray. Please, please, could you move the members who sit directly behind you. It’s bad enough having to listen to your whiney voice and daft questions, without having to look at two of the most unappealing nodding dogs it has ever been my misfortune to clap eyes upon. Thank you kindly.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00znc32/Politics_Scotland_17_03_2011/

Pics: Eck the boss, Annabel the scary dragon and Mike Rumbles, the...er, hmmmm, the... suggestions on a post card to Munguin's Republic.

FMQ: IN WHICH ANNABEL PLAYS MATRON AND ALEX SAYS "YES"!

The first question about what the FM was going to do with the rest of his day was answered with some excellent news. Alex Salmond was to make an announcement with executives from Amazon of 950 new full-time Amazon jobs to Scotland. Great news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x98fj/First_Ministers_Question_Time_13_01_2011

Policing and Fire Services are hugely important issues, and most people would think it was cheap and unpleasant to make, or try to make political capital out of them, but the sickening idiot Gray did just that. While usually I can laugh at his stupidity, and his cack handedness, today I’m just sickened by him. I can’t even be bothered to call him by his pet name. He’s a buffoon, and an unpleasant one at that and a completely useless opposition leader.

He pressed for the FM to give a response now to the future of policing and fire services and bemoaned the fact that the government is consulting. He wanted action. Just do it. If this is what he would do in government, then it would be as well to keep him out. He complained that Alex’s position on the matter had changed over the last few months. He complained that Alex should show leadership and make a decision and that “this is daft stuff”. Definitely FM material. NOT

All of this of course gave Alex the opportunity to give him a little lesson in what running a country is about. We all know about Labour dictatorship. We had plenty of that from Gray’s friends in London. Alex prefers to govern by consensus. There must be changes. Thanks to cuts in funding from London, partly due to incompetent running of the UK economy by Gordon Brown, the status quo is not an option. But the number of forces cannot be decided without knowing facts, and weighing potential consequences.

It was the most sickening display of stupidity I’ve heard from the idiot yet.

And so to Annabel, who reminded Alex that it was Conservative policies which had put 1000 extra officers on the streets! She made a Party Political Broadcast committing the Tories to a pledge to keep them there for the next 4 years. Would, she asked, the FM meet that commitment?

“Yes”, said he, and sat down to good humoured laughter all round, except presumably Labour who, in her question, had been given a drubbing by Annabel. “They had no plans then and they have no plans now”, she said.

She reminded Alex that she had had to tweak him back into line when he was naughty... (hmmmm, I’m not sure all of you are ready for this kind of stuff, especially, when he replied, saying that he felt a bit like he’d been pulled into line by Matron.) There was an agreement that on Law and Order there had been much co-operation with both the Tories and the Liberals. What a relief that Annabel has a sense of humour and an IQ level above that of Humpty Dummy.

And so to wee Tavish, who was also, quite rightly for this IS important, asking more questions about policing. He really just gave Alex the opportunity to reiterate the importance of consulting widely before taking a decision, rather than going gung ho into it as Iain Gray presumably would were he ever the FM. Tavish pointed out that Labour had tried to make changes in England and had to turn back due to not having thought out, or costed how it would be done. Alex assured him that he would not be using Labour’s blueprint.

And so to supplementaries on company closures, the impact of VAT and fuel duty, flu and legal aid.

Pic 1: “It’s OK Alex, that’s just the starter; the real meal is to follow”. Pic 2: A picture of Iain Gray’s brain embedded in soap. Can’t see anything much there. Pic3: In case the Tories are stupid enough to dump Auntie Annabel, she’s got another job as a train driver... )ic 4: On yer bike Tavish...

FMQs: IN WHICH TOO MUCH SHERRY IS TAKEN AND MUCH NONSENSE IS SPOKEN

It was pantomime time at Holyrood today, with wee Elmer doing funny voices and swaying around like my great Auntie Nellie after a few sherries too many on Hogmanay. However, not even the festive atmosphere in Edinburgh could save the wee fellow from acting like the tea cake he is.

Education was his theme (nice change from the snow Elmer, I feared you were going to get stuck on that one forever). He produced some figures that, he said, showed the SNP cutting 800 teaching posts this year, which gave Big Eck the chance to point out that the bulk of the posts being cut were in Glasgow’s LABOUR RUN council, possibly because LABOUR RUN Glasgow had failed to sign up to the concordat between the government and local councils.

Elmer , who had looked quite confident to begin with, started to look a tad cross and began swaying as Alex took everything he accused the government of and threw it back in his face. The final question involved the number of schools built and was “another broken SNP promise” according to Elmer. True, said the boss, but this time it was one Eck was happy to confirm. Labour had promised 250 new schools, he said, and the SNP government had broken its promise; it had delivered 330. Maybe a few sherries diminished Mr Fudd’s arithmetical abilities.

And so to Annabel, who chose, presumably for want of anything else to criticise the government about, to ask about university funding. Given that Mike Russell was due to launch a Green Paper (consultative document) on the subject that very afternoon, I thought it was completely bizarre.

The discourse between the FM and Ms G followed that of an exchange 3 weeks ago, so I won’t bother repeating it here. Suffice to say that it was rather a waste of a question.

And so to wee Tavish, who asked a sensible question about the fact that vast numbers of Scots are either worried about their energy bills (4 out of 10 households), or struggling to pay them (3 out of 10). He wanted to know what the government’s intentions were concerning Home Insulation Schemes. Alex told him that the relevant minister had just explained that there would be proportionally larger increases here than there would be south of the border. Tavish then asked about the huge increases in profits per household the energy companies had reported, and the doubling of costs over the last 5 years.

Alex was able to point out that some of the factors that were involved in this were controlled from London, and in fact by Liberal Democrat minsters. Alex softened that remark, noting that Tavish’s points were well made, but he wished he had the power to insure that everyone in this energy rich country could access the energy they needed.

Unspectacular performances today, I thought, and top marks go to Tavish for asking the most sensible question.

I can’t help feeling that Alex refers too much to what’s happening in England and comparing it with what is happening here. OK, I accept that what happens in England has a knock on effect by way of Barnet, but I get a little bored hearing it and it does tend to sound feeble, even if, in fact, it is not.

Backbench questions were sensible across the chamber and dealt with subjects as diverse as Sex Offenders, Homicide Rates, Fatal Accident Inquiries and Company Closures. There was one criticism of the Labour party for misrepresenting Fife Constabulary on their website and refusing to take the misinformation down, even when asked to by the police themselves. Tch tch.


Pics: The lovely Annabel (top centre) falls into the Hattie Jacques role perfectly; I though Elmer for the Kenneth Conner role and of course Tavish is Jim Dale... I’m not sure who should get Babs Windsor’s part (or parts) Johann Lamont? Eck (left) of course vanquishes all foes and slays dragons (that’s Lamont again) and finally (right) is Tavish, standing right next to a guy who sold his soul for a red box... a pantomime villain if even I saw one.

MORE POLICE, GOOD NEIGHBOURS, HARD WORKERS: ALL AT FMQ TODAY

When is the Labour leader going give some thought to the questions he asks and thus deny the First Minister the opportunity to do a weekly party political broadcast.

Today’s subject was police numbers. Based on conversations he had had with two, yes 2, police officers Elmer concluded that the government’s claims to have more police on the streets was a sham. Some research would have unearthed the Scottish Police Federation’s statement fulsome in its praise for the position of the government, saying that they had understood the needs of policing and wishing that some local authorities, Labour ones, would step up to the plate and take the same attitude. Ooops!

Eck was able to point out that Labour was the only party in the Chamber which did not support an increase in police numbers. He quoted 1190 (the number of additional officers on about 5 occasions, and repeated that recorded crime is at its lowest levels in Scotland for 30 years.

When will Elmer ever learn?

And so to Annabel:

...who once again proved that FMQs doesn’t have to be a battlefield. She turned, appropriately, to the question of snow. Much of Scotland is under the worst November weather, Annabel said, for 40 years. She praised people who had made it to work, particularly those in caring and neighbours and friends looking in on the elderly or frail. She asked the FM to join her in praising them.

This he was happy to do, and gave examples of the security guard in parliament who was up at 4 am, collecting his colleagues in his 4 x 4 for the early shift and Perth and Kinross Council which had got to all but 2 of its vulnerable residents, but who had assured themselves that these remaining two were being looked after by neighbours.

{On a personal note here, I’ve been touched by the way people have helped each other out during the awful weather. My own mum has had countless offers of help, and when I knocked on the doors of some older people around me, I was hearing the same thing. We Scots can be proud of ourselves I think.}

In reference to school closures Annabel suggested that headmasters should be left to make decisions on opening. The FM agreed and referred her to advice to schools to that effect from the Cabinet Secretary for Education. Harmony.

And so to Tavish:

...who wanted to refer Eck to the review that the English transport minister had ordered of the way that transport had handled the snow and what was the FM doing along these lines. Alex said that we could have any number of reviews after the event was over, in the meantime the government was concerned with the practicalities of keeping Scotland moving.

Tavish asked about the fact that Edinburgh airport was closed today and suggested that in view of the government’s attempts to bring winter tourism to the country it would be a good idea if they could keep the capital’s airport open. The FM whilst praising Edinburgh’s fight to keep the runway open agreed that there might be lessons that could be learned from Aberdeen, Dundee, and Highlands and Islands airports, which had remained open.

Questions about snow; sectarianism; PE in schools and a Single Police Authority followed from members. One particular line from Eck I thought was worth a mention. Richard Baker asked about a Single Police Authority and when the First Minister had answered the point he said... I’m tempted to remind Richard Baker, although of course I won’t, that he said.... and proceeded to remind not just Mr Baker, but anyone listening, what he had said... the just of which was that there were 7 police forces ...when there are actually 8. He pointed out that Mr B would be better to know how many there were before he started trying to abolish them.

And so to lunch for them ....and tea for me!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00w6f4n/First_Ministers_Question_Time_02_12_2010/

FMQ on SVR by SR

The account of today's First Minister's Questions can be found over at Subrosa's place, and a damned good one it is too.

Warning: This post may cause people to wonder about how much time can be wasted on trivia by highly paid public servants.

Someone told Tavish yesterday that his attack on John Swinney had been statesman-like. (I think it may have been Tavish as he was shaving this morning.) So, he resumed this afternoon where he left off yesterday. A forensic examination of that part of FMQ can he found here at Scot Goes Pop.

Warning: This post may cause uncontrollable mirth.

Pics: Alex Salmond's reaction on hearing that Tavish Scott was out to get him...

CLOSING TIME AT THE OLD BANK BAR, OR FIRST MINISTER'S QUESTIONS

Well... it was like Saturday night at pub closing time in parliament today. Even the Presiding Officer who is well known for his tolerance, lost the cool with the noisy and unruly drunks, I mean MSPs. “Sit down Mr Gray”, said he. “When I say Order, I mean order.” I was waiting for “Time gentlemen please”.

Elmer was his usual dreary self today, tearing the budget, which he appeared to have only skimmed, apart. He had one good line though when he was complaining that the FM had spent half a million on speech writers. “I’ve heard the first minister’s speeches, could we have our money back? “said our brave boy. I was thinking that perhaps Alex could lend him just one of them, for the man is tedious in the extreme.

I can’t see what he had to complain about in John’s budget. You freeze the pay of the better off, reduce the pay of the best off and give the least well off a pay rise... What could be fairer, but no, the SNP did it and someone once told Elmer his job was to oppose, so he opposes. Duh.

Alex pointed out to him that, on radio, he had admitted that pay freezes were necessary; then he had been seen outside parliament demonstrating under a banner which said “no pay freeze” . He was, Eck reckoned, the only leader to join a demonstration against his own policies.

Of course they were all showing off because there was a delegation of distinguished visitors from Japan in the gallery. Lord only knows what they though. I’m surprised they weren’t throwing nuts of the people down below in the chamber.

And so to Annabel: As so often Ms Goldie concerned herself with Higher Education. A worthy cause. She said that the Conservatives had a plan to give more money to Universities and to students in need, as opposed to the opposite from the SNP, and she quoted part of what Professor Bernard King had said about it “not being sustainable for any longer than 1 year”. Eck of course was able to finish the quote which thanked the government for not delivering “deeper and more damaging cuts”. And he added a little praise from Professor Muscatelli (one of Annabel’s heroes, whom she quotes when giving the First Minister his Latin lessons) saying that he was happy that research funding had not been reduced. The Condem coalition’s way of dealing with student funding was not the way Scotland, with its proud tradition of higher education, should go.

And so to Tavish, who wanted to know if the FM agreed with a criticism made by SNP councillors in Glasgow of pay rises for people on over £80,000. Eck sidestepped it neatly saying that he agreed with what John Swinney had set out in his budget, and told Tavish what that was, in case he’d been dozing off when it was read out yesterday.
There was a pile of statistics from Eck about how they would reduce the top salaries. Mike Rumbles was overheard by the FM, asking how they (the government) knew they could meet these reductions. That gave him the opportunity to point out that they had met or exceeded every target they had set themselves in 3 ½ years of government. Silly Mike. Never give Eck a chance to boast for he will surely take it.

And so to the others: Anne McLaughlin, Robert Brown: Good questions on asylum seekers in Glasgow, and excellent answer from the FM. Questions on low carbon electricity generation, fishing, and fishing policies, in particular discards. (We really must have our own representation in Europe.)

And so, once again, to lunch, the best part of the day.