Apocalypse again
As I reported for duty this morning, I glanced at the pile of papers adjacent to my desk.
On top was a headline: "Brown fights for survival."
Fairly blunt, fairly clear. But snag. Was this pile today's papers? Or yesterday's? Or Wednesday's? Or...
Turned out to be apocalypse yesterday by contrast with today's version.
Returning sporadically to my work-station from sundry toil, I have got into the habit of asking colleagues: "Anybody quit in the past 10 minutes?"
Gordon Brown has accelerated his reshuffle. Or rather, had it accelerated for him.
Better to get the thing under way while he still has a sufficient pool of ministers upon which to draw.
While preparing to broadcast to an astonished nation last night - or at least that portion of the a.n. which was watching Newsnight Scotland - I indulged in a few idle phone conversations with Labour figures.
They agreed that Gordon Brown is in serious trouble. (It is this perspicacity which has made the Labour Party the fighting force it is. Or, perhaps, was.
Ach, I shouldn't cavil. We all, me definitely included, resort to comforting simplicity in the face of such guddle and chaos. )
But my Labour interlocutors agreed further that Mr Brown's fate rested upon which questions the party's MPs asked - and how many.
MPs are motivated by many things but chiefly, on these occasions, by their own survival.
Get them by their majority and their hearts and minds will follow. Electoral support is all - which is, arguably, healthy in a democracy.
So, if MPs only ask Question One - is G. Brown a popular Prime Minister? - then he has had it.
If they ask Question Two - who might replace him? - then he is probably still in big trouble.
Disenchantment with Mr Brown is such that MPs would be prepared to consider most anyone.
And they don't have to: Alan Johnson is palpably hovering.
However, how about further questions? How about this one? If Alan Johnson replaces the PM, would he have to call an early General election?
Constitutionally, no - we have a parliamentary, not a presidential, democracy.
But, in reality, yes.
The voters just about swallowed GB as PM on the basis that he had campaigned side by side with Tony Blair in 2005.
It was - arguably, just - something of a joint pitch.
They would not, in my view, tolerate a third prime minister on the basis of a single, dated mandate.
So Team Brown - what remains of them - can say to MPs.
Replace GB - and face an early poll in which you lose big style because the economy is still in recession and voters are still utterly furious over expenses.
The Brown offer, then, is time.
Put up with him - and he can hold on until May next year when, maybe, perhaps, the economy might be a little better and action at Westminster might have begun to soften voter fury a fraction.
Not much of a pitch, I grant you. But it's the best that Gordon Brown has got.
PS: Welcome your comments as ever. Would remind you, gently, that it is one of the house rules that responses should not stray from the particular topic on offer.
This is designed to ensure that, in the interests of all readers, there can be focused, substantive debate.
Over a prolonged period, it means that the broadest possible range of topics can be aired.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~59~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
Gordon Brown wants to keep his job more than he wants Labour to win the next General election.
This seems to be the main policy of Labour - look after yourself rather than others.
Complain about this comment
Let him stay, reshuffle, and then call an election with no delay.
The people of our proud countries need to regain control, and soon, or else the moral and political vacuum will be filled by extremists.
Complain about this comment
"Devolving control over oil and gas tax revenue to Scotland could have serious consequences for its budget, a new study has warned."
The old Unionist scare stories are dusted off and given yet another airing.
Amazing to see they STILL think the Scottish people are distracted by them!
Always a sure sign of deep Unionist fear that their beloved Union is coming under serious strain.
Come on BBC Scotland!
Is this the best you can do to make us forget the MPs are continuing to operate a disgusting systematic fraud on the taxpayer?
Complain about this comment
I tend to agree with a part of what you are saying. If Gordon Brown can ride out the storm that is raging within the Labour party Then he might be able to hold on to Government for longer with the hope that the expenses scandal will, eventually, subside and be able to rid the Labour Party of the 'snouts in the trough' brigade. That action won't do him, and the Labour party, any harm. There is also the hope that the economy will not be as bad and a warm spring will not do him any harm either.
I watched the interview the BBC gave to Ken Livingston (I've never been a great lover of his type of politics) and he seemed to sum up the situation quite succinctly when he said that it was just the Blairites leaving the cabinet before they were sacked. The terms 'rats' and 'sinking ships' springs to mind.
As to the gubbin' that the Labour party seems to be in line for in the English council elections, 'two jags' Prescott seems to have summed it up. The Labour Party ministers forgot to fight for the council seats as the they were too busy looking over their own shoulders at the furore that was happening within the party. So, if Gordon Brown can survive the next couple of weeks, and this is a big if, then it is likely that he will hang on for grim death to have the General Election as far into next year as he possibly can.
What can he do to recover even a modicum of respect from the voters.
I would say that he should force the 'snouts in trough' MPs to resign their seats immediately and have by-elections. If he cannot force them to resign their seats then they should be immediately expelled from the Labour Party. This would, in a little way, show that he is not going to accept that type of behaviour from any Labour politician, especially when he, himself, would never dream of having his snout in any trough.
Else, goodbye Gordon and goodbye Labour Party.
Complain about this comment
The new Labour Legacy:
1. Devolution
2. Illegal war - invading a foreign country, killing 100,000 civilians, all based on lies, vanity and spin.
3. Recession - driving the country into the biggest financial meltdown and recession in 60 years.
4. Wholesale Political Corruption and Sleaze - Designing, defending then trying to disown a political system that endorses fraud, fiddling and moral bankruptcy.
1 out of 4 (25%) is a fail by anybody's measure.
...and we thought the Thatcher years were bad! How must the foot soldiers that fought Thatcher and the Tories for 18 years feel now?
Complain about this comment
Brian
The longer he hangs the better for Scotland, in the long run. With his virtual total loss of authority, Britain will drift even closer to disaster as no-one will change his borrow and spend voodoonomics and it will become even more apparent that Global's moral compass isn't working and the his and the Blairite "Labour" party is not the party of the working man any longer. Step forward the SNP. If they can hammer home that message that "Labour" is not the party of the working man any longer then the main prop to the Union in Scotland goes and who knows which way the grounded ship of the Scottish state will topple as the tide keeps on going out.
I'd cut out reading papers, the dead tree press is always yeterday's news. Try the BBC, they are reasonably up to date!
Complain about this comment
What an affront to democracy! We have a UK dictatorship.
Gordon Brown has no mandate to rule (Westminster or Anywhere), which will be reflected in the voting results as they come in later this afternoon.
Ps, Labour had 43 council seats in 3 English councils which have already been declared and they have lost 20 of them... that's nearly 50%!
Also, they are trying to spin the gaining of 2 SNP council by-election seats as a victory. The results tell a different story...
1. The results of the Coatbridge North and Glenboig by-election were (with changes from 2007 in brackets):
SNP: 1254 35.25% (+5.85%)
Labour: 1529 42.98% (-4.84%)
Tory: 361 10.14% (-0.44%)
Independent: 557 15.65%
Green: 115 3.23% (+3.23%)
Independent: 217 6.1%
SSP: 81 2.27% (-0.98%)
This equals a 5.35% swing Labour to SNP
The final count was:
Labour: 1759
SNP: 1696
A majority of 63.
2. The result of the Anniesland/Drumchapel declared earlier was (with changes from 2007 in brackets):
SNP: 1509 28.29% (+6.76%)
Labour: 2584 48.44% (-11.95%)
LibDem: 349 6.54% (+2.52%)
Tory: 316 5.92% (+1.17%)
Green: - 270 5.06% (+2.06)
BNP: 177 3.32% (+3.32%)
Ind: 129 2.42% (+2.42%)
A 9.35% swing from Labour to the SNP.
3. The combined result of both of tonight's by-elections are:
SNP: 2763 29.24% (+4.27%)
Labour: 4113 43.53% (-11.36%)
Tory: 677 7.17% (-0.13%)
LibDem: 349 3.69% (1.43%)
Other: 1546 16.36% (5.79%)
A 7.82% swing from Labour to the SNP from the 2007 election.
Complain about this comment
No3 BigH
Some of the Scottish people are still fooled. Labour has just won 2 by-elections from the SNP! God help us these folk cannot think for themselves! Their party/government is in total dissarray and they still vote for them. Maybe the 2 councillors were just poor at their jobs. The Calman thing is barely worth comment. The UK nats spout nonsense all the time so no change just the usual drivel. You need some intellect to see through it all but unfortunately in Scotland it would seem Labour voters can't.
Complain about this comment
I think it is about time the labour MP's started showing some integrity and think about the country they are employed by's needs. WE put them in the job and without US they would not be in the position of power that they now possess. In order for the country to progress through this difficult time we need a hardworking, honest, reliable and most importantly a functioning government. At present we do not have that. I know Labour MP's are reluctant to cut thier own throats in ordering a general election but surely they will recieve more backing from thier local constituants by doing so.
Complain about this comment
One of the few 'positives' of Brown's tenure was when John Smeaton waved to him from the floor of the New labour conference. :0)
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
ET tu Brutus as the proverbial is thrust in! Whats the betting the PM is raging about all those years he sat in the wings while the former PM used and abused all. Incidentally the latter not only found GOD, and loads of do$h, a Middle East envoy to boot! Ironically aided and abetted by others during his tenure this former PM set the clock back 50 years for this region! Go on Gordy sell your story to the tabloids / TV warts & all. Youre a spent force to those city big Whigs or the party!
Complain about this comment
London Labour and Brown no longer interest me, he and they are history in a Westminster context - it's only a matter of when.
Of greater interest is the news coverage we will now see in the 'controlled environment' that is Scotland.
Interesting to note that after ignoring SNP council wins recently the BBC have decided that council by-elections should now receive maximum publicity. This time of course it is Labour gains that are being reported. My understanding is that the SNP actually received a swing from Labour in these elections but the complexities and vote transfers meant that Labour won the seats.
The big news story is a case of 'back to the future' as far as oil revenues are concerned. A twist to the old mantra, but the same old mantra nonetheless, Scotland will suffer if she controls her own oil revenue ...etc, etc.
Note that this isn't from an independence perspective, perish the thought that the BBC would give top billing to such such a perspective, but rather it is a 'guess' of what might happen if we remain in the Union and control the revenue.
Notice also that the latest threat of a strike (from a teachers union again) making it four in recent months has again disappeared. The strike threat coincidently made it to top billing just before the Euro elections.
Get ready for an increase in such stories. The savaging of Labour is by the English for the English and at the behest of the English media. In Scotland Labour will be protected by what passes for a media up here - so do not be fooled into thinking all is over for Labour in Scotland.
PS
Can anyone confirm that it is illegal to hang campaign posters at the entrance to a polling station?
Last night as I went to vote there was a 'Vote Labour' placard tied to the lampost immediately opposite the entrance to the station. I brought it to the attention of the two station reps who simply shrugged.
I left it there as I wasn't sure of the law or rules.
Complain about this comment
I think it would be bad for the UK as a whole if Brown went at the moment - Labour (who I don't support) are taking an unfair amount of flak for the expenses scandal considering that the other unionist parties had their snouts just as deeply in the trough. What I think would be best would be for all MP expenses to be published in full immediately, and for Brown to announce plans for a General Election in the autumn. That would diffuse the drip-feeding from the Telegraph and give everyone a summer to mull over the expenses for their local MP and, hopefully, make a more balanced decision about who to vote for in the next election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px2F8RFKOBw
Complain about this comment
#7 BoNGO_1 -
The swing from Labour to SNP seems pretty emphatic to me. Perhaps others on here can elaborate on what this might mean in terms of a national - GE or Holyrood vote?
What I'm slightly confused by and others might be as well,if how the SNP can have improved their vote so much in elections for council seats that they used to hold but have now lost.
I know both councillors are now MSPs and so have elected simply to retire one of their 'dual' roles.
Presumably both were elected with minority shares of STVs in multi-councillor wards? And, therefore, the SNP's share of the vote can be said to have increased hugely but unfortuantely just not enough (by 63 votes, in one instance) to take them to victory in straight head to head, FPTP contests.
Is that right?
Complain about this comment
Post 8, SchoolTieColours, I beat you to it in my Post #7.
The two by-elections are in some of the most staunch Labourite heartlands. In 2007, there was a swing of about 8%-10% to the SNP, and this has just been followed by a further swing of 8'ish %. Steady gains in anyones book.
...Even in the Labour heartlands, their vote is evaporating. The results are actually very good for the SNP and bad for Labour... indeed Labour were only a paltry 63 votes away from an absolute disaterous result for them and they will surely be sweating now till the Euro results are announced on Monday.
Complain about this comment
Comment 7 Bongo1
Thank you for those stats.
I hadn't read your comment when I posted but it confirms by belief.
The BBC are pushing a Labour spin story and not the continued erosion of the Labour vote.
There is also a by-election in Larkfield, Greenock in a few weeks after the death of a sitting SNP councillor.
Complain about this comment
I was at the Theatre Royal last night - excellent play. Lord Foulkes was there as well. His respect for Labour voters was clear when, during the interval, he said to his companion "I was talking to someone about Springburn. You know, the place there's going to be a by-election. They're nothing but underclass."
Complain about this comment
#3 BigH
Later in the same article (Warning over 'Scottish oil tax'), 'oil expert' Professor Kemp says:
"Scotland's share of UK oil taxation could be worked out"
errrr..... that would 100% then - or have I missed a recent oil find in the English Channel.
Complain about this comment
It is of course a curious side effect of the way councillors are now elected that a by-election generally changes the preceding result, unless the retiring councillor is from the most popular party in that ward. The SNP gained a councillor from this recently in Aberdeen, as I recall, and lost two from the same phenomonon last night, even while enjoying a modest continuing growth in support.
In terms of what it says about overall voting trends, I think it says that the SNP is now running Labour very close in North Lanarkshire, but that Labour is still clearly in the lead in Drumchapel. The day that Labour loses in Drumchapel, if it ever comes, will mark the true and final death-knell of a once-great party. They haven't reached that point yet although, as the main subject of this blog would suggest, they appear to be getting closer to it by the day.
Complain about this comment
Regarding the by-elections in Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire. I would dearly like to understand the demographics of these areas. And the turnout. I'm not a conspiratory theorist, but I did go to school in Scotland (I am a Scot), and I'll be prepared to bet the local people in these two areas are disadvantaged, uneducated and ill-informed. That mix suits Labour, does it not?
Complain about this comment
#15, yes you are correct *;o)
Complain about this comment
18. At 12:41pm on 05 Jun 2009, oldnat
You're joking? What was the context; were you in his company; standing at the bar next to him or what?
If true, that's an absolute disgrace? He should be pulled up for that comment. Brian???!!!
Complain about this comment
#13PS greenockboy
As long as an election poster is on the outside boundary of a polling place, does not obscure any public notice of such polling place, does not obstruct entrance into such polling place and is not permanently attached then it is legal. The use of lamposts is up to the local authority.
Complain about this comment
Brian
I think your Labour contacts are being a little generous when they tell you that Mr Brown is in serious trouble. The simple fact is poor GB is finished.. Its just a matter of time now. In the eyes of the public he no longer commands the authority to run the country and must go.
How do we know he is finished? well bringing Alan Sugar in as an enterprise czar is a desperate, last ditch attempt at populist politics and will fail. GB has never been able to relate to ordinary working people because he is a just a career politician, hes never had a proper job like so many other Labour MPs.
When are we going to learn that we need new MPs with successful track records in business and a whole range of other careers? GB is clearly bringing in Sir Alan because he possesses what GB lacks business talent and a popular & positive image on TV.
Complain about this comment
I'm struggling to find any link to the full text of Kemp's report. Presumably it's not been published yet and therefore all we have to go on is the BBC's rather 'glass-half-empty- account.
Even from the BBC's own story, however, it seems fair to say that as well as (or even instead of) a "warning", Professor Kemp's report is a recommendation - a recommendation that in order to mitigate against oil and gas revenue variations, a proportion of the revenue raised should be invested in an oil fund which, even the BBC acknowledges, "The Scottish Government has called for"
The fact that no such oil fund has been created is surely an indictment of the UK/Westminster Government who through what can only be described as their mismanagement of oil and gas revenues have exposed, not just Scotland but the UK as a whole to precisely the 'volatility' that Professor Kemp is warning against.Witness the current 'global' financial crisis, which has been exacerbated by oil price "volatility".
Hopefully this should help remove the blinkers from more of the Union-supporting population at large. The Union, through mismanagement and let's be fair - i.e. when you look at some of what Thatcher spent oil money on - waste of North Sea oil revenues has left Scotland in a more parlous state than it might have been, had there been an independent government in charge who was willing to invest in Scotland's future rather than prop up their own, entirely selfish regime.
Complain about this comment
Three things:
Re cabinet reshuffle. Non-starter. I still expect a change of PM soon, especially we have the same chancellor in place. The UK needs a change. never mind who actually wins, but a change is sorely needed to get some motivation into the economy.
EU elections. While we wait until Monday, it appears that the turnout is extremely low in some areas, so any result analysis will have to be general, since there is insufficient data to make firm conclusions. (trust me, I'm an analyst).
Local elections. Very close call, but how much canvassing was done in the local areas by all parties? (busloads of supporters come to mind).
Also, some comments on here are slighty insulting to the voters in those areas. What you should be asking is why they still feel compelled to vote Labour. Two main reasons in my opinion:
1. Media reporting. That will definitely have an effect.
2. Under the SNP administration in Scotland, what has actually changed for these people?
Point 1 is backed up by Greenockboy's comprehensive posts on media coverage in Scotland, so I don't expect any disagreements there.
Point 2 is my opinion. Coatbridge surprises me however, since they are directly affected by Monklands hospital staying open, which was 100% thanks to the SNP. Also, Point 2 is affected by Point 1, since the media do not always point out benefits.
Don't get me wrong, it is a substantial swing to the SNP, but it will be reported as a loss to the SNP, and Labour will spin this one out.
Complain about this comment
#7 BoNG0_1
Many thanks for doing the stats on the council by-elections, which I would otherwise have done myself after reading this website's scurrilous and misleading Labour beats SNP in council polls. Your logic is spot on, unlike the BBC's and Mr Gray's mathemetical skills, which seem not to improve as neither does their lamentable lack of understanding of the STV system.
On topic, IMO it will only be when we can analyse the Euro election results across the four home nations when we'll be able to see how much trouble Duff Gordon's party is really in.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#19 Angusblogg
You may have missed a recent shift in the location of the English Channel.
Complain about this comment
Bongo 16
Thank you. That's what should be discussed. I wish the media would treat us with more respect. We're not as stupid as they think unless your a Britnat!
Complain about this comment
I really can't stand that self important gype Gray.
Every word coming out of his mouth is another turd falling into my drink.
I saw my local MP having a break from the no doubt dauntless task of convincing his constituancy to back a lame mule in the european elections. I WAS going to pop over and say hello in the spirit of good will, but when I noticed he was seated with aforementioned lame mule european candidate team.
I've written to Frank Doran 3 times in the last year - twice about the UK governments response to Georgia's foolhardy attempts at "conflict reolution" with its bigger, meaner neighbour Russia and once regarding the glaring discrepancies in criminal sentencing that Henry McLeish is working to resolve within Scotland - so it's not like I didn't have something to say - the truth is I'm not sure I could have kept my contempteous laughter under control should they deign to ask how I would (Or in my case - already had) vote(d)
Frank Doran - will be a tough rock to shift from Aberdeen North at the next election. I don't doubt he's done a fair bit of good in the community and his work within the oil and gas industry doesn't go unrecognised - but as a nationalist and someone who see's Aberdeen as the economic heart of an independent Scotland - Doran needs to be removed.
Complain about this comment
Hmm, Arthur Midwinter has made yet another appearence, his second in recent weeks.
From The Herald
SNP urged to scrap Scottish council tax freeze
Watch this paper over the coming days, it will move from subtle pro_Union/Labour to resembling The Scotsman more and more as we approach a real election.
The Glenrothes by-election saw this excellent paper deteriorate markedly throughout that particular campaign.
Ones to watch out for:
Unite (Trade Union)
Midwinter (Labour advisor)
CBI in Scotland chairman.
Govan Law Centre (Mike Dailly)
Jim Sillars (Not a Salmond lover)
Ashcroft (Wendy Alexander's husband)
Fraser of Allander Institute
That list is just off the top of my head.
Complain about this comment
#19 Angusblogg
"that would 100% then - or have I missed a recent oil find in the English Channel"
Not quite, but it certainly wouldn't be a difficult computation and is bound to be well into the nineties. There's long been a little on-shore extraction in England and there is also a little inshore extraction in Dorset, I believe and possibly elsewhere. Not exactly a killer argument, though, as you can be sure HMRC will have source details of every drop.
More interesting is that no details were leaked before polling day, presumably because Calman & Co. realised it could have made good campaigning material for the SNP. As such, the actual final results may marginally flatter NuLab's and Duff Gordon's actual position.
There's a promise from Wednesday on the Calman website that the "New Independent Expert Group reports [are] to be published on 5 June" but I certainly can't yet find them.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
No chance of Brown going any time soon, this Labour government like every previous Labour government is totally devoid of any shred of integrity or social concience when it's hold on power is threatened.None of Brown's rivals are liable to carry the baton knowing they will be held responsible for the hopefully total wipeout of Labour at the next election.This is why they do not stick their heads over the parapet, not through any loyalty either to the party or to Brown. The very make up of a Labour politician does not allow for any degree of concience or integrity. Therefore they will hang on desperately to power, whatever the effect on the country until they are forced into oblivion. If there was any suggestion of honesty in politicians,irrespective of party, they would be deemed to be in the wrong career.
Complain about this comment
#8 SchoolTieColours
"You need some intellect to see through it all but unfortunately in Scotland it would seem Labour voters can't."
I think you'll find that even stupid people have a deep loathing of being fleeced.
Complain about this comment
#23 Blind_Captain
We were on our way back to our seats - just happened to be near him at the time. He wasn't exactly speaking sotto voce!
Complain about this comment
27 Neil
They are meant to be insulting. Truth hurts. I'm fed up with the media who provide the propaganda for those people to believe. Do you think they would change their minds if the reporting was even a little bit balanced? A mind of your own and an occasional engagement of the grey matter would help.
Complain about this comment
[19. At 12:42pm on 05 Jun 2009, Angusblogg wrote:
"Scotland's share of UK oil taxation could be worked out"
errrr..... that would 100% then - or have I missed a recent oil find in the English Channel.]
Not all of the North Sea's resources are in Scottish waters. Plus the various tranches are sold off in advance for years to come.
Complain about this comment
#29 Rog_Rocks
Stupid of me, really, I forgot that the 'English Channel' borders have been moved northwards in a line extending from Berwick to 3 miles off Carnousie!
#33 Brownedov
There is of course a few percent, in forecourt sales in England, of imported oil products which would be go into 'UK' tax revenues, but hey, I didn't want that to interfere with my 'exaggeration for effect' ;0)
Complain about this comment
Just heard our illustrious non job SOS Jim Murphy saying that he asked to keep his job to help Scotland fight the recession. Aye, what's he going to do. We have the arc of density in office - him, Brown and Darling! The man's a fool of the highest order, up there with Gray, Curran, Kerr, Roy, Cairns, Baillie, Alexander bro and sis et al...... Our country's finest politcians good grief!
BigH
Fleeced. Neither pocket or brain!
Complain about this comment
I see the English Democrats have just won the Doncaster Mayoral election. An independent came second. It seems to me that the voters in Donny have sent a message to Gordon Brown and, it seems, the English are beginning to wake up to the idea of self-determination.
Complain about this comment
#33. Brownedov
15th June not 5th for calman.
Alan Sugar's take on Gordon Brown
Complain about this comment
#13 greenock boy- I agree with those above who have already answered your question, BUT i was pleased to find my way to the polling station doors was not blocked yesterday by anyone trying to influence who i might vote for, this practise went on for years, wonder why nobody yesterday.
#19 Angus- what they might be talking about is when they re-drew the maritime "border" so that the southern tip of the latest find at the time suddenly became "English"
Sid
Complain about this comment
Brian : I have got into the habit of asking colleagues: "Anybody quit in the past 10 minutes?"
Well there's Hoon gone now; it really is a matter of logging on to the news at regular intervals to see which rat has jumped. Are those who are left fighting over the deck-chairs in the vain hope that they might save them from drowning as the waves close over SS Nu-Labour
Complain about this comment
Cabinet reshuffles we are told demonstrate the power of the Prime Minister, in whose gift alone are the great offices of state. A week ago a reshuffle, neutralising enemies and promoting the best and brightest to deal with the current mess, might have given the impression that our great leader had a firm grip on the situation and a plan for getting us out of it, and so enhanced his parties chances in yesterdays debacle. A re-shuffle next week might have demonstrated humility, an acknowledgement that the old team wasnt working and a resolve to do better.
Todays farce is nothing more than frantically stuffing handfuls of wet sand into a crumbling dyke
Complain about this comment
The SNP must apologise to Brian Taylor for being as rubbish at maths as he is.
http://www.snp.org/node/15356
"Meltdown of Labour vote in heartlands
1. The results of the Coatbridge North and Glenboig by-election were (with changes from 2007 in brackets):
SNP: 1254 - 35.25% (+5.85%)
Labour: 1529 - 42.98% (-4.84%)
Tory: 361 - 10.14% (-0.44%)
Independent: 557 - 15.65%
Green: 115 - 3.23% (+3.23%)
Independent: 217 - 6.1%
SSP: 81 - 2.27% (-0.98%)"
35.25% + 42.98% + 10.14% + 15.65% + 3.23% + 6.1% + 2.27% = 115.62%
Complain about this comment
Staffordshire County Council Elections 2005 and 2009
Party, 2005 Seats, 2005 %, 2009 Seats, 2009 %
Con, 28, 37%, 37, 44%
Lab, 32, 38%, 2, 18%
L-D, 2, 21%, 3, 17%
UKIP, 0, 1%, 2, 10%
Ind, 0, 1%, 1, 1%
English politics looks interesting for once! Labour from 32 seats to 2 seats!
Complain about this comment
33 Brownedov
Dorset's inshore oil comes from BP Wycth Farm which is tied to Southhamptons Hamble tanker offloading facility - across the river from Esso's Fawley facility.
We're maybe looking at 1% of the throughput of the UK's crude oil - the other 99% coming ashore through;
1 Sullom Voe Terminal - Shetland - BP run - Northern North Sea - Brents, Magnus, etc
2 Flotta Terminal - Orkney Isles - Talisman Run - North Sea - Claymore, Tartan Piper etc
3 Grangemouth Refinery - Falkirk - Ineos Run - North Sea - Forties Pipeline System (Forties, Lomond Everest) (Once so lucrative they BP had a pipeline built all to themselves)
Now, the most complicated parts of hydrocarbon revenue - geographically speaking - involve Gas and Gas Condensate - Not Crude Oil - that includes the so called J block (Judy, Joanne, Jade) - run by Conocco Philips, The BG Armada, the Lomond and Everest (BP) Gas that is shipped to Teeside via CATS, The Elgin Franklin (total), Britannia (Conocco & Chevron) & Shearwater (Shell) That produce to bacton in Norfolk
Divvying up these revenues between two different regional governments would be do-able - but not without significant private sector involvement from hydrocarbon accountants, allocation specialists and of course - our dear friends in the public sector at the HMRC & DECC
respectively.
It's important you don't misjudge the value of oil over gas. Condensate is extremely valuable and with the advent of hydrocarbon cracking - relatively new-starts to the North Sea like Apache have sucessfully overturned existing financial agreements with both the UK government and other asset holders on the basis of how valuable they can prove thier product to be.
Watch this space.
Complain about this comment
I dont agree with the BBC's opinion that the appointment of a new Labour leader should result in a general election. The government have managed to get away with quite a few things that were unpopular with the electorate so a few more months with a new P.M. and no election is quite possible
However, for what it's worth, I would see GB toughing it out. The reason is that the BBC's opinion, for example, that of Brian Taylor and Nick Robinson, do more than just put seeds in our heads, they can act like self fulfilling prophesies.
I would judge, that with the BBC's talk of the prospect of an election following a leadership change and with Nick Robinson talking up GB as he has been doing today, the Prime Minister will stay in office for some time yet. If the BBCs support is withdrawn then that would change the whole scene.
Complain about this comment
#43 Sid
My #39 was probably still in moderation when when you were posting your #43.
And GlasgowGooner, your #38 was also in moderation when I posted my #39.
I see moderation is currently half an hour behind - makes posting just a little tricky!
Complain about this comment
El Gordo unelected PM
Mandy & Sugar in tandem
Isn't it great to live in a democracy?
Complain about this comment
#28, Brownedov, no need to worry mate, they are the official figures... no calcs needed *;o)
#46, g_c_campbell, the figures in percentages(%) are calculated through the STV system therefore, they will not simply add up to 100%
...proof of this is that the SNP got 1696 & Labour got 1759 in the final count - a difference of 63 votes. The difference between 35.25% for the SNP & 42.98% for Labour certainly does not account for 63 votes.
...complicated I know, but it is just the system.
Ps. No Need for the SNP to appologise to anyone *;o)
Complain about this comment
Strike a light!! Flint's gone!!
Complain about this comment
Earlier reports of the EIS backing off from holding a strike ballot were premature, they have decided they want one over 'cuts'.
No figures yet proving these cuts and I can tell you that appetite amongst teachers assistants for a strike is nil.
Good news though that Labour MP Ian Gibson is resigning his seat with immediate effect, thus forcing a by-election in England.
This means that the Scottish media will not now be able to set the campaign agenda for now two by-elections on their own. They would have had it all their own way for the Springburn by-election but now of course we will have UK national coverage and with that comes scrutiny of Labour.
This will balance the attacks we will see on the SNP at Holyrood that the Scottish media will carry out.
I notice also that Jim Murphy has come out of hiding. I overheard a few non political people discussing him in the office today, someone had decided to read out the names of Brown's new cabinet. The cries of derision when the name Jim Murphy was read out gladdened my heart.
Complain about this comment
I see that Gibson the Labour MP has resigned. I think he has done the honourable thing. Now, how about the rest of the snouts in the trough resigning?
Complain about this comment
#42 cynicalHighlander
"15th June not 5th for calman."
The 15th is for Calman's "Final Report"
The link in my #33 is for the two new IEG reports on which the BBC and other media are reporting. It states: "The Independent Expert Group that advises the Commission on financial matters is to publish two new reports - on borrowing, and on natural resource taxation - on Friday 5 June."
They still don't seem to be publicly available.
Re Mr Sugar, I haven't trusted him since trying to obtain from his company a working Amstrad PC in the mid-'80s.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Brown has offically lost it now!
Flint walks out mid press conference; Brown appoints yet another unelected person to his cabinet. Where is the democratic process here? Brown is creating yet more democratic defcit.
Where are the press? I can't hear them. Brian, this is a pantomime!
Complain about this comment
#55 gedguy2
"I think he has done the honourable thing."
No, the honourable thing is not to do in the first place what has forced him to resign.
Complain about this comment
#48 GAberdeen
Thanks for the info, and I certainly will "Watch this space."
I was only trying to show that the number wasn't quite 100%, even if the gerrymandering of boundaries is corrected.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Extrapolating the English Council results to the forthcoming Scottish Euro results to be announced on Monday (Whilst, taking into account the unique Scottish voting demographic up here)...
...I predict the SNP will trounce Labour *;o)
Complain about this comment
On a slightly more frivolous note - does anybody know what the rather striking purple and silver specked tie that both Gordon Brown and David Milliband were wearing today is supposed to signify?
Complain about this comment
Well, this gets more interesting by the minute. Checked the internet abut every two hours today at work, and lo and behold Mr McNulty has gone. Now Ms Flint has joined him. Although with Caroline Flint I think she was expecting a full cabinet role, and onyl praising Gordon Brown last night shows this.
But, watched Gordon's speech twice.
Good and bad points.
Good - the man stood up and accepted responsibility.
Bad - he's still there.
He talked about "service to the country". Well, the economy and markets are now suffering due to uncertainty. If he did care about the country before himself and his party he would resign and allow someone else to take over.
But he is honest when he says his loyalty to his party comes second - if her cared about his party he would resign.
I see now that Glenys Kinnock is joining the Cabinet from the Lords! The House of Lords is there to oversee what the Cabinet does, not have a substantial input. I know there are certain posts but if the news is correct she is going to be housing minister. That is ridiculous.
Alistair Darling apparently refuses to budge, as does Milliband
Alan Johnson does a good impression of a loyal servant. I have it on 100% concrete authority that a number of years ago the same Government loyal servant was urging his union to strike. Never mind the public service, let's ensure the members get what they want.
As things stand, Gordon Brown dare not go for a general election. Labour will get wiped out into third place.
Things need changed. Ignore party politics for a moment, and consider how things look to an outsider. We have a Prime Minister refusing to budge, with ministers either resigning or petulantly themselves refusing to budge. That gives any foreign Government strength to diplomatic issues.
At least Thatcher accepted that she had to go.
David Cameron must be praying that Gordon stays where he is, but that means things will simply drag out for months.
Any odds on the next resignation?
Complain about this comment
#61, dunno about the colour of their tie's, but i'm sure I caught a brief glimpse of a white flag?
*;o)
Complain about this comment
Brian, as you yourself state:
WE HAVE A PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY.
Why should 600+ MPs be forced into an unnecessary election just because there is a change at the top of one of the parties, even if that is the party of government (and its Leader is Prime Minister)?
My elected representative should continue to be allowed to serve my interests, and should be duty-bound so to do.
Whether the Labour Party changes its leader or not (and I certainly hope not, both for the sake of that party and for politics more generally) should have NO BEARING on the composition of the House of Commons.
A sizeable Labour majority was elected in 2005, and any action which even might result in a premature change to the composition of Government should be resisted as a matter of honour.
Fixed-terms parliaments are the only way forward for sane and sensible government.
--
Notwithstanding the foregoing, it appears that Labour MPs have more sense than to look to BBC Scotland's Political Editor for guidance. (Yet another thing for which to be thankful in my prayers, tonight!)
Complain about this comment
In the list of Cabinet Members, I notice that Lord Mandelson is described as "First Secretary of State."
Can anyone enlighten me as to what this title means...?
Complain about this comment
Anyone else think it's a bit rich for Caroline Flint to bemoan the fact that she was 'window dressing' when she was promoted beyond her experience (esp. by Tony Blair) precisely BECAUSE of her stunning good looks...?
Also, waiting until all Cabinet posts have been filled and THEN going off in a huff is hardly a principled resignation; presumably she'd have been quite happy with the status IF she had got a Cabinet role.
Complain about this comment
Re my query regarding First Secretary of State, I should have done a little digging first.
I have now done so...
Complain about this comment
I quite liked the defiance that Gordon Brown has shown during his speech, but it was a pity that Brown has put it on now rather then earlier when the Government was full of dithering and inaction.
However I am disappointed at Labour's actions. These are the worst types of person who are more then willing to undermine their leader, who does this in the real world? If I were Gordon Brown I would call an election and then step down as leader. If the Labour Members of Parliament are willing to go out their way to save their own skins then I would ensure that most of them suffer for their disloyalty. Let's face it because their seats are what most Members of Parliament worry about even before party loyalties take effect!
Complain about this comment
Probably a very good indicator of how Scottish Voting has gone in the Euro Elections...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8083640.stm
...As someone said a couple of weeks ago, when the piggies start squealing, it is because they are in serious distress!
Saor Alba!
Complain about this comment
It is interesting to see some of the comments written on here. You have your pro-SNP supporters who seem to use Labour negativities to reflect the union, you have your don't care's who believe whatever they hear and you have your pro-unionists that seem to think Labour is the key.
Why can't Scotland realise that if you take away the likes of Labour the UK works very well, the benefits it brings to all four nations is irreplaceable through independence and at the end of the day this "independence" attitude reflects a more darker side on the UK as a whole, as at the end of the day we are all Human and if Scotland feels that it is incapable of working together than it doesn't reflect a strong quality in the country.
England is just as much, maybe even more, dissatisfied with Labour and as you will have seen that is clearly being voiced, made more significant by the English Democrat win (the first every election of an English Nationalist and the biggest mass of votes towards English Nationalism).
Devolution is key and should not be reversed, it should be expanded further on (maybe more looking like the USA model). I spend a great deal of time in Edinburgh and the atmosphere is mixed, but i believer the majoirt of Scots and English want to make this work and put the differences of our corrupt politics to the side; as a society we can make this work and bring in the changes required to make the UK a happy and more closer working place to live.
Plus, as a final point, the SNP are just as guilty as any other party, i have read and seen how they have abused their expenses (inc. the First Miniter) and they array of promises that have been dropped as well as their range of ineffective changes. This can't be blamed on Labour entirely as the SNP have the support of the Greens also and they should be brought to the public too for their own mistakes (these can't be forgotten as with the unionist parties and other nationalist parties who have behaved in the same way!)
Complain about this comment
Just when I thought that it could not get any worse for labour, in St Ives they came sixth, behind the raving monster loony party.
http://lookingforavoice.blogspot.com/2009/06/st-ives-even-monstor-raving-loonys-did.html
So the monster loony party did better in the by-election than the party with a monster raving loony in charge.
You could not make this stuff up. I think I may stop laughing round about July.
Complain about this comment
Ref 65 Olderthanthepyramids
Any cryptic crossword enthusiast will tell you that the answer to "First Secretary of State" is "S.O.S."
Hope that helps.
Complain about this comment
Loony beats Labour in St Ives
Complain about this comment
#70, An_English_Voice,
All the answers to your questions lie within the following link...
http://www.oilofscotland.org/mccrone_oil_reports.html
Ps. Please provide a link proving Alex Salmond's "Abuse of expenses?"
... I look forward to proof of your statement with much excitement *;o)
Saor Alba!
Complain about this comment
#70 An_English_Voice
English voices are always welcome, but I think you don't really understand the ideas that underlie many of the political expressions that are used in the Scottish political debate.
It's not about political parties - it's about the entire future of the Community of Scotland, and whether the key decisions are to be taken by the "British" (who are overwhelmingly English) or the "Scots".
Most supporters of Independence here don't want to erect barriers between our two countries, but for us both to engage with our our other European neighbours. The UK was a political construct which had its uses when we were engaged in a joint enterprise to dominate and exploit the world. I think we're both past that now.
Devolution is certainly better than government by a Secretary of State appointed by whichever party happened to get a majority of MPs elected by an unrepresentative method in the UK. However, a system under which Scots MPs can choose to vote on English only issues, and a UK Government can effectively decide whether or not we can construct a new Forth crossing is fundamentally flawed.
Instead of pious hopes that the UK could be a happier place (why UK? - Don't you care about the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or any of our European neighbours?) You could try to do what no Unionist has ever managed to do on this blog - present a coherent argument as to how the UK is somehow a "better" political unit than the nations of which it is made up.
Complain about this comment
70. At 8:24pm on 05 Jun 2009, An_English_Voice:
I'm in disagreement with you re Alex Salmond's expenses. I'll agree that ordering 1200 quid tv's is inexcusable, and that despite it being minor compared to some of the other claims does not make it right.
I'm assuming that you are referring to his meals. I don't believe that he abused his claims, nor do most people.
There have been a lot of dubious claims, but nothing on the scale of moat cleaning, duck houses and mock Tudor beams. At least the SNP MPs were more realistic.
As for the USA model, I agree that a federal setup might be the best balance in the long run. But we need to get politics balanced again before knee jerk reactions kick in.
Complain about this comment
...Ps, I am going to pre-empt 'An_English_Voices' response to my post #74 and suggest that s/he simply does not understand Scottish politics and more importantly, Scottish individuality, when it comes to politics.
Dude, London is a million miles away from us... and in a multitude of ways. It just so happens that Holyrood (Edinburgh), Day to day, is far more relevant to the ordinary lives of Scots.
I think your post outlines precisely why more and more Scots are waking up to the opinion that those, South of the border have of us...
Reference; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ifseg7LpWY&feature=related
Complain about this comment
An_English_Voice:
#70.
"You have your pro-SNP supporters who seem to use Labour negativities to reflect the union..."
Labour are in Government... what else do you expect?
"Why can't Scotland realise that if you take away the likes of Labour the UK works very well..."
Do you not remember what happened under the Conservatives to Scotland?
"...the benefits it brings to all four nations is irreplaceable through independence..."
Could you explain why?
"...and at the end of the day this "independence" attitude reflects a more darker side on the UK as a whole..."
Are you claiming that pro-SNP supporters are the darkside and that those who support the Union as some sort of force of good?
"...as at the end of the day we are all Human and if Scotland feels that it is incapable of working together than it doesn't reflect a strong quality in the country."
Is the problem about working together? You may find it shocking, but you'll find most supporters of independence are more then willing to co-operate with England on certain issues but feel overwhelmbed by the influence England has at Westminister...
"Devolution is key and should not be reversed..."
This is not Conservative policy, without Labour we would not have it! Do you believe that devolution should have happened at all?
"I spend a great deal of time in Edinburgh and the atmosphere is mixed, but i believer the majoirt of Scots and English want to make this work and put the differences of our corrupt politics to the side; as a society we can make this work and bring in the changes required to make the UK a happy and more closer working place to live."
Will Scotland get her own seat at the UN, independent status at the European Parliament (it's the future afterall) and full financial control and including control over taxes etc?
"Plus, as a final point, the SNP are just as guilty as any other party, i have read and seen how they have abused their expenses (inc. the First Miniter)"
The SNP are not as guilty as the others, where have you been? The First Minister has certainly down no wrong, what's your evidence? Angus is a little bit more questionable, but has not broken rules and will take this to the electorate at the next general elections.
"...and they array of promises that have been dropped as well as their range of ineffective changes."
Could you please give examples?
"This can't be blamed on Labour entirely as the SNP have the support of the Greens also and they should be brought to the public too for their own mistakes."
If I am not mistaken, the Greens never supported Local Income Tax, and that during the budget fiasco where Labour and Liberal Democrats attempted to claim a politcal advanatage by voting it down, the Greens and SNP both fallout! So just what did the SNP have the Green support for?
I look forward to hearing your 'balanced' opinion.
Complain about this comment
#70 An_English_Voice
"at the end of the day we are all Human and if Scotland feels that it is incapable of working together than it doesn't reflect a strong quality in the country"
Unlike you, "Scotland" does not feel it is incapable of "working together".
Your post reveals your lack of faith in your fellow "Humans" to exercise their right to self-determination whilst "working together" with their neighbours.
And I'm afraid that doesn't reflect a strong quality...in you.
Complain about this comment
My #69, Mods have randomly deleted my post. No reason that I can determine?
If you look at all my other posts, no attacks or animosity worth the wiping of that post... but heck, I guess it is the BBC we are talking here.
...Ps, I wonder if the mods have to hit a target of % of posts done each hour to prove that they are actually reading the things and doing their job? I wouldn't be surprised that they are basically sitting around chit-chatting over a coffee and 'occasionally' deleting the odd post to look busy!
Complain about this comment
Britain has had enough of Gordon Brown's Government
Will he never learn anything other than his own perceived arrogance.
Complain about this comment
#75 Oldnat... that's what I would have typed, had I not been enjoying this Draft Belhaven Best so much *;o)
Complain about this comment
Play Brown bingo
Everyones a winner!
We now have the most undemocratic cabinet for over 100 years, 7 unelected cabinet ministers. Why do we vote?
Complain about this comment
#82 BoNG0_1
Great what you can do on low alcohol Dutch Lager!
Complain about this comment
#83.
You know fine that our system of Government allows individuals to be placed into top jobs in Government without an election.
I can understand it, but it is slighlty annoying that individuals believe that we elect people as Prime Minister etc it's wrong.
Infact as far as I know the Prime Minister does not actually have to ever call an election. There is nothing officially written that insists a Prime Minister must call an election within 5 years of coming to power.
Complain about this comment
Oldnat, did you watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ifseg7LpWY&feature=related
?
Complain about this comment
Another thought I just had...
Anyone else notice that all the MP's expenses claims were fo ammounts greater than they should have claimed for?
Can anyone inform me of an incidence where an MP who reviewed his/her expenses, actually increased there claim...
...surely if all the 'mistakes' were simply errors, then the chances are that the over-estimates would be 'more or less' offset by the under-estimates?
...It'll all come out in the wash... eh?
*;o)
Complain about this comment
#86 BoNG0_1
I hadn't seen that particular clip before. On the other hand, I've seen that level of ignorance/cupidity/stupidity from within the M25 - long before that road was built!
Complain about this comment
...exactly, sums up post #70 don'tcha-think?
I think the SNP should just use it as the next Party Political Broadcast *;o)
...and now a party political broadcast by the Scottish National Party... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ifseg7LpWY&feature=related
LOL *;o)
Complain about this comment
Over at The Herald Torcuil Crichton seems particularly upset that the SNP had the temerity to highlight the swing from Labour to the SNP in both council by-elections.
Torcuil writes in his blog:
"You have to hand it to those looking through the far end of telescope lense at the SNP press office which last night, in the middle of the momenteous events at Westminster, celebrated the party's performance in a Glasgow Council by-election.
"SNP HAIL FANTASTIC RESULT IN GLASGOW BY-ELECTION
NEARLY 10% SWING FROM LABOUR TO SNP" was the headline
"The SNP have hailed the results of the Anniesland/Drumchapel by-election in Glasgow which saw a swing of nearly 10% from Labour to the SNP,trumpted the press release. "Labour have suffered in this by-election".
If you open the Herald a page 6 today you'll see how Brian Currie reported the actual result with the headline: "Labour ousts SNP in Glasgow by-election""
Torcuil seems not to understand exactly how the council system works, that you can INCREASE your vote at the expense of your opponent and still lose the seat you held.
The headline was apt for the simple reason that there WAS a swing from Labour to the SNP. An ordinary member of the public could be excused for failing to realise the underlying trend in a council by-election but for a political journalist in a so called quality journal to display such ignorance is inexcusable.
Complain about this comment
77. At 9:34pm on 05 Jun 2009, BoNG0_1 wrote:
Dude, London is a million miles away from us...
London is a million miles away from everyone outside the M25.
Complain about this comment
Mr Gray and his Labour colleagues at Holyrood now look a model of stability and discipline compared to the Westminster "party".
Complain about this comment
Here's a snippet from Torcuil Crichton's online blog, public blog I hasten to add - not his Herald blog.
"- "The Scottish Government, has to behave like Scottish families and make some savings," said Mr Murphy. "The public will punish politicians for singing the old songs and making the old arguments."
This is Mr Murphy at his diplomatic best. There is little patience across Whitehall for the SNP trying to avoid spending cuts when everyone else has to grin and bear them."
Old songs and old arguments indeed, Murphy at his diplomatic best says Torcuil.
A career at the BBC beckons.
Complain about this comment
#91 Neil_Small147
A bit wider an arc I think. Southampton - north of Birmingham - Nottingham - Norwich seems more appropriate.
Complain about this comment
#70
I don't believe this is really the work of an "English Voice". It contains all the predictable and pathetic points that the unionist and their tame press have been trying to make stick against the SNP and sounds phoney to me. Halfway therough its first term in government in a minority situation the SNP have already delivered on 49 of their 89 headline pledges and delayed delivery on some of the others is entirely due to the unionists blocking them, which every Scot with half a brain has already clocked. Those with less than half a brain take their political opinions from the Daily Record which is quite capable of being a pretty good newspaper if you could cut out the slavering Labour tone of its editorial line.
The attempted point about SNP MPs being just as bad as other MPs is laughable and gives the game away. This particualr line in fiction, which is so obviously complete nonsense, is only peddled in the "Scottish" press which places "English Voice" firmly at home here.
Complain about this comment
Interesting Yougov poll for Westminster and the recent Euro elections:
Westminster:
SNP 33%
Labour on 25%
Conservatives 18%
LibDems 16%
European elections:
SNP 31%
Labour 22%
Conservatives 14%
LibDems 17%
Greens 5%
Headlines at the BBC perhaps? ............ perhaps not.
Complain about this comment
Sorry if I am smiling at the moment....
...It's just that I am a Scot and I am really enjoying my politics just now!!!
Good night and sweet dreams all... Oh, and have a "WONDERFUL" weekend.
*;o)
Complain about this comment
Gordon Brown billed taxpayer for two second homes
"Mr Brown who claimed more than £28,000 in second home allowances after moving into a grace and favour apartment in Downing Street in 2006 has agreed to repay some money after he referred the matter to the parliamentary fees office. He has admitted making three separate mistakes on his expenses"
The man that keeps reminding everyone of his honesty instilled by his upbringing. Hypocrite comes to mind.
Complain about this comment
OK, I he's history anyway - but .....
The final nail !!
Brown claims for two second homes
Any news on Jim Devine?
Complain about this comment
Comment 96 immediately censored, never appeared !!
A Yougov poll and a question asking if it will be headlined by the BBC.
Nothing more than that.
I'll post the Yougov results again immediately after this comment.
Complain about this comment
Westminster election:
SNP 33%
Labour 25%
Conservatives 18%
LibDems 16%
European election:
SNP 31%
Labour 22%
Conservatives 14%
LibDems 17%
Greens 5%
Complain about this comment
Comment number 100 censored immediately, never appeared.
It contained a comment referring to my comment number 96 being censored, absolutely nothing more.
Complain about this comment
#94 oldnat
Is this the Arc of Preposterous.......
Complain about this comment
I have tried posting results of a Yougov poll but the comments are not appearing. I will try once more to post the poll, however there is no guarantee that it will appear.
The poll makes fantastic reading for those of an independence bent.
I should clarify that one of the comments contains nothing but the poll result, no opinion from me - nothing but the result.
Complain about this comment
Yougov poll.
Westminster:
SNP 33%
Labour 25%
Conservatives 18%
LibDems 16%
Europe:
SNP 31%
Labour 22%
Conservatives 14%
LibDems 17%
Greens 5%
Complain about this comment
Readers of the last few comments may be under the impression that I have posted comments that break the house rules.
The comments seek only to post the results of a Yougov poll asking Scottish voters their intentions for both Westminster and Europe.
If the mods decide that the comments should not appear then that is that I suppose.
Complain about this comment
99. At 00:30am on 06 Jun 2009, greenockboy wrote:
OK, I he's history anyway - but .....
The final nail !!
Brown claims for two second homes
Any news on Jim Devine?
----------
Well, after the Prime Minister's recent comments about his colleagues, he should resign immediately. "Oversight", "administration error" and other similar excuses are unacceptable from the person who is in charge of the country.
As for Mr Devine, I heard he was last seen in a forest with an axe.......
Complain about this comment
What's going on here?
My posts are being prevented from appearing.
Can anyone explain why a poll result breaks the house rules?
Complain about this comment
I'll post the poll result tomorrow, perhaps tomorrow's mods will be more accomodating.
Complain about this comment
Just before I go, let's have a look at the top Story from the BBC in Scotland tomorrow:
Class sizes prompt teacher debate
There's more like this to come !!
Complain about this comment
I really cannot explain why my comments are being immediately prohibited from appearing, it really is bewildering.
Complain about this comment
#107
Well! Neil, back to the SNP again, so I see? a bit like a ping-pong ball Neil, you go back and forward with top spin quite a lot?
You know what Neil, the EIS are tearing into the SNP and it's broken promises on education! Neil you used to complain quite a lot about education, I guess when it comes down to it! you just like to follow the crowd! never mind! our time will come!
Complain about this comment
Let's see:
Is it a reference to a poll that is causing the mods to prevent my comment from appearing?
Complain about this comment
#113
Well it wont be a reference to the two council seats the SNP lost to labour.
Complain about this comment
Derek:
#112.
I suggest you should actually read the report on the BBC website. I shall help break it down for you because you appear to be incapable yourself.
The EIS would like the Scottish Government to bring forward legislation that will ensure councils must focus on class sizes of 18 or less. At the moment councils are capable of putting as much as 33 pupils in per class. This is despite Government policy to reduce class sizes.
It also is stated that over half of councils have made progress on reducing class sizes numbers, but it also "...says but councils have said schools cannot be shielded from pressure on public funds." It appears that councils are bracing themselves for cuts that will happen thanks to the reduced grant Labour has given Scotland! It also seems councils are the issue, not Government!
Complain about this comment
#112 derek
Well, I'm trying to stay on topic.
But if you want me to have a go at the SNP, very well.
This one has surprisingly been kept quiet, and I have yet to check all the facts before one side or the other blows me out of water.
Apparently, Kenny MacAskill has been blocked by the justice (?) committee from closing down several district courts. The reason I know that is our local paper pointed it out.
Obviously, without knowing all the facts its hard to comment, but I cannot see any logic in closing down district courts which are always rather busy.
That story has more impact on society that the EIS, whom I've little time for to be honest, and education is important since my kids are at school.
Happy now derek?
Anyway, how can you possibly assume that I have suddenly gone "SNP again" by my post?
You can't win on this blog. Now I've mentioned MacAskill I'm going to get commented on and probably accused of pro-unionist bias.
Never mind.....its the weekend.........
Complain about this comment
#115 Thomas
Yes the vast majority of council do over load the class-room sizes with as much as 33 pupils, that's quite correct of you to point that out and it's why the EIS are debating a motion of industrial action against the failed policies of the SNP admin.
Again you are right to draw too the attention of the 2% efficiency programme and the lack of funding into education under this SNP adim.
Good for you Thomas! glad to see you understand why the SNP have failed the people of Scotland and it's education system.
Complain about this comment
#116
Neil I've no idea what age you are, or what age your children are.
I ask you! Neil, is your children school a better school under this SNP admin and has your children's school implemented the smaller classrooms promised by the SNP?.
Complain about this comment
Why do people respond to the Labour Party activist ?
He is like an infection on BBC political websites, a cheer leader for the Labour Party to the point of embarrassment.
Greenockboy, the BBC appears to be cutting comments it finds too darned smart, smarter than the blog writers!
Last night on Nick Rs site there were many comments , highly entertaining ones ,none of them complimentary and suddenly they vanished in droves!
Complain about this comment
#117, I myself have expirience of a rather large non-SNP run council in Scotland.
I also sympathise with the SNP government, as they might provide the funding to the council, but it is the council who decide how to spend it and if they happen to squander the cash, there is very little the Scottish Government can do.
...There is an easy solution of course, just make sure you vote for the right people in the next local authority elections.
Complain about this comment
#117 - "it's why the EIS are debating a motion of industrial action against the failed policies of the SNP admin"
Derek barking-mad as usual. Why is Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the EIS staing "It is clear that some councils see themselves as bigger than the Government when it comes to running schools" if they are "getting tore into the SNP"? Anybody with a modicum of intelligence (and I know that leaves you at a disadvantage) will see that the target of the EIS's ire is Labour run councils. Why would the EIS want the government to take control away from these hapless councils, concentrate more control at Holyrood with the SNP if it's the SNP's policies they were against?
Even NuLab HQ won't be able to spin this story to your liking.
Complain about this comment
#119 - "Last night on Nick Rs site there were many comments , highly entertaining ones ,none of them complimentary and suddenly they vanished in droves!"
Could it be the mods know something we don't, that we're in the run up to an election and the stricter house rules apply?
Just a thought.
Complain about this comment
#121 Derek will spin anything to sound like its an anti SNP story. I read the headline and thought oh oh here we go Labour union members starting trouble then i read the story. What Ronnie Smith actually said was...
"I know it is difficult to secure legislation as a minority administration.
"But all MSPs, of all parties, should be challenged to vote against legislating to cut class size - to vote down the chance to deliver on the promises they nearly all made at the last election."
Now that to me sounds like a challenge to the opposition so see if they would vote against any legislation the SNP put forward. Mind you it is also a challenge to the SNP in doing such a thing i suppose, but if industrial action is on the cards then they might have to anyway.
Another story i thought might be an anti independence one was about 'Warning over Scottish oil tax' which after reading it actually says that Scotland could survive on its on with its oil revenue but not in a devolved government situation.
Roll on Monday when we find out the Scottish Euro election results .
Complain about this comment
Last night several posts that didn't break any house rules were prohibited from appearing.
The comments contained the results of a recent Yougov poll that asked Scots their voting intentions in a Westminster general election and the recent Euro elections.
Two of these comments contained only these results with no additional comment from me. I will post the poll again, immediately after this comment. If it doesn't appear then it proves beyond doubt that censorship is in operation at the BBC.
Complain about this comment
Westminster intention:
SNP 33%
Labour 25%
Conservatives 18%
LibDems 16%
others 10%
Euro intentions:
SNP 31%
Labour 22%
Conservatives 14%
LibDems 17%
Greens 5%
others 11%
Complain about this comment
In case it is censored again, the poll result I posted above shows the SNP with an 8% lead for the Westminster election.
Complain about this comment
So very real censorship has appeared at the state broadcaster, this is indeed a sad day for freedom of speech.
That results from a reputable polling company are deemed to be in transgression of house rules is indicative of the fear that currently pervades the Unionist establishment.
Comment 124 merely informs fellow posters that I am about to post a poll result that has previously been censored by earlier mods.
Complain about this comment
Incidently, my comments above have the message 'This comment has been referred to the moderators' in place of the actual comment.
I would like to point out that these comments cannot have been referred by other posters as they never appeared.
The message beneath is therefore misleading and may imply that the comment contained inappropriate language or content, something that I very strongly refute.
Complain about this comment
I would like to refer other posters to the quirkynats website.
Complain about this comment
Gboy
What poll?
Complain about this comment
#127 greenockboy
Far be it from me to defend the mods, but if the poll in question was anything to do with the euro results then it does seem that's actually illegal before 21:00 BST Sunday. If it was about any other kind of poll and referred to Duff Gordon's discomfort then I'd have thought it fair comment.
For example, I hope the mods won't refer this comment for congratulating the Official Monster Raving Loony Party's Lord Toby Jug for pushing Duff Gordon's provos into sixth place in St Ives. As the good Lord says, "People in St Ives have voted for the sanest candidate".
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
The matter of teacher numbers will become clear in due course.
There is considerable mischief going on here from the Labour run councils who obviously think the rest of us are daft.
They will pay for this.
The facts are
1) The Scottish Government gave every council an above inflation rise this year
2) Any "education cuts" in that circumstance are entirely the choice of individual councils and not the Scottish Government.
3)All revenues accrued through "efficiency savings" are retained by the Councils themselves for more efficient use and are not Scottish Government "cuts". They are lower than the efficiency savings the Labour Government is imposing in England and Wales which actually are Government cuts.
4)derekbarker is talking nonsense as usual and this becomes tiresome
5)It looks like Labour will have more councillors in Scotland than it has in the whole of England and Wales
6)Hurrah
Complain about this comment
Westminster intention:
SNP 33%
Labour 25%
Conservatives 18%
LibDems 16%
others 10%
Euro intentions:
SNP 31%
Labour 22%
Conservatives 14%
LibDems 17%
Greens 5%
others 11%
Complain about this comment
#129 greenockboy
Having read your quirkynats posting, I'm now pretty sure that it's the reference to a poll of Euro intentions which rang the warning bells. You could simply quote the polling organisation or media source for others to search on Google.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
# 119 'Why do people respond to the Labour Party activist ?'
I find that to be a laughably bizarre comment! Even if he is an activist for the Labour party, why should he not be entitled to enter the debate?
After all, many others here are doing nothing but praising the SNP to the hilt - whether it be justified or not! Is that not activism in itself?
Myself - I prefer the Conservative brand, and am quite prepared to defend their record, even against those who seem to have a personal vendetta against Baroness Thatcher.
Surely the whole point of a blog + responses is to have a balanced debate and not to immediately shout down those whose views differ from yours. Of course, and it hardly needs to be said, there are some very good, intense debaters here, but it is to the minority that will not respect any view other than their own that I direct these remarks.
Complain about this comment
#129 greenockboy
The Westminster voting intentions in the new poll cannot be subject to the euro reporting restrictions and certainly show a measure of disgust with the antics of Duff Gordon among the Scottish electorate.
As Peter Snow would say, it's just a bit of fun, but if you put your numbers into the Electoral Calculus calculator for Scotland as a whole, it predicts the MP tally as:
Party, 2005, Diff, Seats
NAT, 6, +22, 28
LAB, 41, -24, 17
LIB, 11, -1, 10
CON 1, +3, 4
That must surely strike fear in the heart of "Scottish" Labour, especially as their current prediction based on opinion polls from 27 May to 3 June is for an overall Tory majority of 98 at Westmidden, which is pretty much in line with pollsters' predictions.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Brian
Indeed, what a stooshie. Headless chickens comes to mind, do you think they have any inkling of how pathetic they look to us normals? This is the "governing" class and they are no better than a playground bust up. They had lost it in Scotland over the expenses before this shenaningans, the last YouGov had them on 22% to the SNP 33% and that is before this democratic "reshuffle" that gives us 7 "Lords" in the Cabinet. Any thoughts as to what the figures will be next time when the effects of this display will be in people's responses?
Complain about this comment
cynicalHighlander @ 133:
Thank you for posting the poll.
I had been prevented from posting exactly the same text. Furthermore, comments that didn't contain any poll figures were also systematically prevented from appearing.
The Euro poll has already been published, albeit buried in the by-election article, by The Herald - so cannot have contravened any laws.
Complain about this comment
donstim at 135 writes:
"# 119 'Why do people respond to the Labour Party activist ?'
I find that to be a laughably bizarre comment! Even if he is an activist for the Labour party, why should he not be entitled to enter the debate?"
donstim, no-one has suggested that he should not enter the debate. The question asks why people respond to him, this is clearly alluding to the nature of this person's contributions and a suggestion that responding is a waste of time.
It is NOT a request that the person be prevented from contributing !!
Complain about this comment
#132,
A quote from George Black, Chief Executive of the Labour Run Glasgow City Council was put out on the Glasgow City Council intranet site reaching thousands of employees about a month or so ago;
"In the last month the media has reported that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, has plans to freeze public sector budgets in cash terms from 2010 to 2013. It is not yet clear exactly what that would mean for our budget but I estimate that at a minimum we would require to make savings of £65 million in 2010 to 2011. At worst we would see our budget cut by some £99 million per year. As an illustration of the impact that could have, £99 million is the cost of employing roughly 4000 people in the council."
...Typical of Labour unionists, mess up the economy (cut the scottish budget by 500 million)... try to pin the blame on the SNP government and (worst of all) threaten Glasgow City Council Staff with the 'cost of 4000 jobs' threat.
I look forward to the day we have an SNP run council in Glasgow.
Complain about this comment
135. At 09:53am on 06 Jun 2009, donstim wrote:
"Myself - I prefer the Conservative brand, and am quite prepared to defend their record, even against those who seem to have a personal vendetta against Baroness Thatcher."
There is NOTHING personal about it. Just the need for justice!
Oh my gawd! Heeeeyelp!
What about snatchers personal vendetta against Scotland?
Record....jumped up smug gitty, self important snobs who think they are above all question!
"I am entitled to claim for my servants, and your only jealous that I have a house like balmoral paid for by the tax payer and which I made a cool profit on (by the way, too right I'm JEALOUS! But mostly very angry,dishonest GIT!)and I have nothing to answer for." Quote/unquote.
I go on, defend them all you bl**dy well like!
******
Aside while I am here, our dear old BBC is putting a slightly different spin on the Oil & Gas Revenues story, and is a long ways away from the actual report!!
***
Mods, what happened to the link to these blogs on the eve of euro elections. NRs was still going but this one closed for comment? Tech problems was there?
Complain about this comment
Brian
Another argument for Global might be that as he is a dead man walking he will push through PR instead of FPTP so there will be a Labour party after the GE, otherwise they'll be able to go the the House in a taxi. If he does that and reforms the Lords, 180 quarter elected annualy, then he will have a footnote in history and the Labour party a future. The hope of future troughing will rally his troops.
Complain about this comment
#135 donstim
"Even if he is an activist for the Labour party, why should he not be entitled to enter the debate?"
Nobody is trying to suppress his comments. I think there is a distinction between most posters and a few who apparently accept NuLab spin as holy writ and, in a manner of which Orwell's Big Brother would have been proud, simply regurgitate it without adding any value.
Such posters can usually safely be ignored. The more problematic ones are the few like R-E who are so passionate in their opposition to home rule that they will distort any fact to the advantage of their cause. Occasionally it's necessary to respond to them to prevent such distortion going unchallenged.
On topic, as you're a Tory I wonder if you agree with Matthew Parris in the Thunderer's "A shell of a man, propelled by anger and pride", where he compares Duff Gordon to Chernenko, briefly Gorbachev's predecessor as leader of the Soviet Union?
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
I think most labour members of the current parliament, need to reflect on their own actions, rather than plotting how to get rid of their current leader, which only two years, all were singing his praises!
Whatever happened to personal responsiblity?
The Labour Party two years ago, again based on an "selfish inward thinking", a mojority of members, thought Gordon would be their saviour and plotted to get rid of Blair!
Thus before anymore plotting, perhaps they should think more carefully in future, and study what is best for the nation, before making quick cheap political decisions.
Anyone who has studied Gordon Brown's personality /career, would have logically deduced his shortcomings and unsuitablity to become our Prime Minister, remember just because you want to be Prime Minister, does not make you competent at your job!
I have never been a fan of Gordon Brown but now feel very sorry for him on a personal level, because despite any public announcements to the contrary, he is having a very difficult time managing the multifacted job of Prime Ministership, he simiply is not upto the job!
Thus my view is that what really needs to be corrected, is not only the Prime Ministership [do the honourable thing Gordon - resign] and in the process let the British Public, deal with your very poor quality of labour members of parliament in due course.
Yes labouur members of parliament, your day of judgement is coming, all must take responsibilty fot their past actions, and that includes all of you!
Don't blame Gordon, blame yourselves!
Complain about this comment
The previous 144 comments are gross.
Complain about this comment
#41 Skip_NC &
#70 An_English_Voice
Re the English Democrats winning the Doncaster Mayoral election, I'm sorry I didn't notice these posts earlier - news of this historic victory is certainly not prominent on this website, and entirely absent from the Scotland section, despite its potentially huge relevance to the future polity of the UK. At the very least it will add one more nightmare to Duff Gordon's dreams, and those of his unionist colleagues, both NuLab and "official".
The BBC do report it, with this website's "English Democrat wins mayor vote", but it's rather tucked away.
Personally, I'm a little sad that judging by their website, the English Democrats have more or less the same policies as UKIP except that they "call for an English First Minister, Government and Parliament with at least the same powers as the Scottish ones".
Their anti-EU stance would thus seem to preclude any early move towards a confederal UK but as others have said, the SNP is necessarily a broad coalition pending home rule, after which "normal" politics could resume, so their anti-EU but pro-EFTA stance is perhaps necessary given the current status of English politics.
I'm mildly surprised that there's no message of support on the SNP website as their may be a future potential for co-operation as there is with Plaid Cymru.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
The reality, UK wide, is Labour are as vital as a Norwegian Blue Parrot, not even 50 million volts would jump start Labour into life.
In Gordon Brown we are watching a 'dead man walking' who is ensuring most of his Labour MP's suffer the same.
Dereliction of duty to the electorate does not begin to describe Brown's actions. Given the results on Thursday, Labour should now be up there with the BNP, UKIP and the Monster Raving Loony Party in terms of media exposure.
Wiped out in England, a non existent force in Holyrood - that's Labour.
The 'blueing' of England's counties can only be good news for the SNP.
Complain about this comment
"In the best interests of the Labour Party"
"In the best interests of the Party"
"To allow us the best opportunity of survival at the next election"
Hello, Labour Party? Reality calling: the country is going to s**t, and all you care about is saving your own seats ... get a grip.
Brown can limp on to next year if he wants, but whats the point? Labour are going to get wiped out anyway.
Complain about this comment
Jim Murphy at it again. The SNP will let the Tories win the next election. No Jim, the voters will decide. I hope they keep this guy in the media spotlight as he provides good entertainment. He's soooooooo predictable. No respect for the Scottish public.
Complain about this comment
#145 Zootmac
LOL!
Complain about this comment
#150 oldnat, yeah, but comment #151 is the final word and wins the argument *;o)
Complain about this comment
118. At 01:45am on 06 Jun 2009, derekbarker wrote:
#116
Neil I've no idea what age you are, or what age your children are.
I ask you! Neil, is your children school a better school under this SNP admin and has your children's school implemented the smaller classrooms promised by the SNP?.
==========
Well, this makes a change. I'm usually criticised by SNP supporters.
Derek, one is in primary, the other secondary.
Class sizes have not reduced. But on the other hand they haven't risen either. Therefore I am sitting bang neutral at the moment. If they do rise then I will be attacking not only the Scottish Government but also my local LABOUR-led council.
When it comes to education politicians need to keep their noses out except to provide sufficient funding and proper inspections of standards. It should absolutely not be used as a political football for short term gains.
Complain about this comment
Brian
How do you feel about the idea that a man under pressure shows his true colours? We are agreed that Global was under some pressure but does that mean that a signatory of the Claim of Right should abolish the (English) Department of Universities etc and shuffle it into Lord Mandy's (reserved) Business portfolio.
The poor English really are getting the thick end of the democratic deficit, seem to have an inkling that something is wrong but are too thick to do anything about it and vote Tory instead. Global ought to get a statue from the SNP, he's done more for them even than Wee Eck!
Complain about this comment
We've all known for ages that NuLab apparatchiks spin from the same hymn sheet, but yesterday both Paul Waugh and Guido actually got hold of the hymn sheet and published it themselves.
To check its veracity, you need only watch this website's interview of today with The new Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw. One can also see echoes of it in some of the press releases printed as articles in the Scottish dead-tree media today.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Is Jim Murphy in the cabinet ? I only ask because the 'Scottish' Daily Mirror has a full page spread on Browns reshuffle and even thought they have the Welsh secretary and the Northern Ireland secretary amongst others ....there is no sign of Jim Murphy or even his posistion. Has his job been scrapped already ?
Complain about this comment
RE #141
I couldn't agree more with you regarding the odious expenses claims of some Tories! The sooner they are shot of idiots like this in the party, the sooner they can concentrate on the serious issues of trying to wrest the governance of our nation from the cack handed attempts of the Labour Party! However in the same vein - ALL parties of all colours have been at it, to a greater or lesser extent and because the claim may be for less money, does not make it more right. However, you are absolutely right, arrogance like that has no place in todays political environment.
Baroness Thatcher however did not have any vendetta against Scotland - indeed Scotland came through the tough times of the 80's in a decent position and was able to diversify more quickly (relatively) than some other parts of the country - notably the North East and Merseyside.
I believe that Scotland - although wounded at the time by the perceived slights visited on them - actually emerged as a stronger nation.
The industries that were supposedly destroyed were mainly in the heavy engineering/manufacturing sector - industries that HAD to diversify or die! With the encouragement of the Unions, diversification became a bad word and from that moment on, they were as good as doomed.
In no way is this meant as a slight on hard working Scots, but as a condemnation of the TOTAL control foisted upon Scots by their Unions.
However, as can be noted, Scotland was one of the first parts of the UK to come out of recession in the 80's and since the taming of the Unions has managed to diversify - as was always our way - and thrive within the Union. Far from calling Thatcher to account for justice - there should be some thanks afforded her for having the guts that no man ever showed in taking on this task - NOT just in Scotland but throughout the UK
Complain about this comment
Donstim:
#156.
Part of your comment is clearly ridiculous. The North East, I suspect that place where many oil companies are would have been successful with or without the Conservatives! To suggest that Scotland came out stronger thanks to the Conservatives and to use the North East as an example is laughable.
Then you go on about the industries that Thatcher destroyed, I am not against this part of her policies. However at a time when Scotland could have been benefiting from the oil industry we had to suffer with rising unemployment which is still with us today! If you had made the effort to look into those families who have spent generations on benefits then you would find that it started under the Conservatives! That is their legacy to Scotland. Scotland got a raw deal when the Conservatives could have put more effort and money into the areas that they were destroying thanks to their policies.
Complain about this comment
Thomas - I was in fact referring to the North East of England. Tyneside, Teeside etc. Sorry for any confusion
Complain about this comment
#155 ubinworryinmasheep
"....there is no sign of Jim Murphy or even his posistion. Has his job been scrapped already ?"
The BBC thinks not, if this website's new In full: Brown's new cabinet is to be believed. OTOH, I think I'll wait awhile before I update the Portillo List, despite the fact that the top three have now seemingly gone leaving the Skeletor as the pole-sitter.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#155, ubunworryinmasheep:
Full List of Cabinet Members
Complain about this comment
@154 Brownedov, do you reckon that Global with his micro managing/ control freakery writes these guidelines himself?
Probably not on second thoughts as the words "random creepy smile" here and "try and avoid repetitive jaw flex" aren't sprinkled all over it.
Reading through some of the responses on Guido the one that intrigued me was from someone recalling the reaction at the Beeb to the Labour election victory in 1997
I do remember the corridors of Broadcasting House were strewn with empty champagne bottles. Ill always remember that
Jane Garvey
BBC Five Live, May 10th, 2007, recalling May 2nd, 1997.
Now in stark contrast I hear the corridors of BBC Scotland in May 2007 were strewn with bottles of Gaviscon extra strength!
Complain about this comment
#155 ubin
Jim Murphy's website seems to think he is still, but that is not to say it hasn't been overtaken by events in the last 10 minutes. Keep up to 1035 yesterday on Blether with Brian!
Complain about this comment
#158 donstim
You must admit that your geography says a lot about the perspective from which you view the UK!
Complain about this comment
#161 GrassyKnollington
"do you reckon that Global with his micro managing/ control freakery writes these guidelines himself?"
My own guess would not quite coincide with your "Probably not". I suspect he writes bullet points and gets a minion fluent in nuspeak to flesh them out.
I see what you mean re "Gaviscon extra strength". I anticipate bulk orders from both BBC London and BBC Glasgow well in advance of the next general election night.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#163 Oldnat
Sorry for any confusion - I've always grown up with the distinction North East and North East of Scotland. Old habits die hard!
After all it may not be further north but it is certainly further East!
Tim
Complain about this comment
Oh dear, Global's so utterly besotted with the new incumbent over the pond that he fluffed his lines at Normandy today and called it Obama beach.
Complain about this comment
It must have been an American Iceberg
Complain about this comment
#163/165 ; Coming from the North East of Scotland but currently languishing in exile in the North East of England I can appreciate how easy it is to get confused.
However, it also provides an excuse to mention a curious ommission by the Beeb. There is extensive coverage of the debacle in the English local authority elections, including the election of an English Democratic Party mayor in Doncaster and the re-election of an Independent as mayor in Hartlepool; the first attracting attention for his rather right-leaning politics and the second for his debut as a football mascot.
Quite overlooked in this froth is the mayoral election in North Tyneside - only accessible by clicking on the drop down regional menu for "Tyne" and even then little more than a paragraph.
The incumbent major was Labour and only got in three years ago because an extremely high number of ballot papers in favour of the Tory candidate were deemed to be spoiled because on the advice of the poll staff voters only put a cross for their first choice but thought the second was optional. This time around, after three years of bumbling ineptitude that would make a dog spew, the Labour man was very decisively rejected by an electorate determined not to make the same mistake twice. So there, quite buried by the BBC, we have another Tory Council, and another Tory mayor.
Still, I suppose one consolation for the saviour of the world is that he has the ex-mayor standing available to fill his next cabinet vacancy
Complain about this comment
"Mr Brown and the prince laid wreaths inside Bayeux cathedral"
Yes, but did they pay for these wreaths themselves or are they "lacking in common decency" and claiming them on expenses?
Complain about this comment
Surely they weren't booing Gordon?
I mean apart from denying the veterans their last chance to salute the Queen, arriving nearly an hour late, refusing point blank to listen to his Party or the electorate , what's he supposed to have done?
Complain about this comment
I take it you have all visited Guido and / or youtube??
Thanks for the snigger, Grassy!
I am still worried by the suggestion that Mandelson is in place to take over when the men in white coats come for GB. Tony ( Messiah) Blair is in place to snap up President or Messiah of Europe, population of the UK stitched up like a kipper.
I am genuinely disturbed by the suggested scenario.
Complain about this comment
#159,160,162 Ah i see they only showed the changes .... #159 Skeletor lol.
#158 There is a group on Facebook you can join to get Sunderland out of the UK !! i haven't checked it out so im not sure if its Geordies' just wanting Sunderland out or whether its people from Sunderland wanting independence. I have already seen that there are Cornish people that want out too. Maybe Scotland departing from the UK might appease them.
Complain about this comment
Hazel Blears for Speaker!
Then everytime she says "Order," everyone will respond, "Who said that?" as they look frantically around the Chamber.
Complain about this comment
CABINET WIPEOUT
"That would unseat SEVEN Cabinet Ministers - the same as Labour managed to kick out when they beat the Tories in 1997.
Chancellor Alistair Darling, Justice Secretary Jack Straw, Work and Pensions Secretary John Denham, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and Scottish Jim Murphy will all lose their seats."
Complain about this comment
Given the convention that an MP cannot refuse to take on the role of Speaker of the Commons (when elected by the House), unless he/she resign from Parliament altogether, is there any chance that rebels and Opposition might seek to propel Gordon Brown into the role?
Constitutionally, of course, it would be a promotion...
Complain about this comment
Labour's gone coy about how many Scottish councillors it has. I can't find the number of its websites
Complain about this comment
#175. Older than the Pyramids
It is supposed to be someone who is unbiased and with INTEGRITY hard to find out of the present 646.
Complain about this comment
#177 cynicalHighlander
Not at all difficult. Alex Salmond for Speaker of the UK HoC !!!!
Complain about this comment
178. At 9:50pm on 06 Jun 2009, oldnat wrote:
#177 cynicalHighlander
Not at all difficult. Alex Salmond for Speaker of the UK HoC !!!!
Don't give Ian Gray ideas!! That would help him!!
Complain about this comment
176. At 9:34pm on 06 Jun 2009, sneckedagain wrote:
Labour's gone coy about how many Scottish councillors it has. I can't find the number of its websites
----------
After last week I think they have more than in England..........
Complain about this comment
#146 Brownedov, True, the ED's (if I can call them that) are rather like UKIP but I was focusing on their policy of an English Parliament. Of course, a vote for one person in one city in a part of the country that distrusts the Westminster Establishment almost as much as the Scots is nothing more than the first green shoot of recovery from a dreadful government and an unwritten constitution that denies proper democracy. But at least is more of a shoot than the economic one that we are told exists.
Complain about this comment
This mess all started about 6 years ago.
I think that Tony Blair spotted the HUGE mistake of the Iraq invasion and the political consequences that wold follow so he engineered is escape. The political consequences meant that without doubt, Labour wold not win the next general election. The nameless faceless people that run our country know that Labour are out so they happily put up Gordon Brown as a patsy. He is inextricably linked to Tony Blair and he is Scottish which meant that he was expendable. The benefits of having an expendable MP as leader when labour is ousted is that they will not have had to sacrifice any new MP's or have any backlash from the English MP's.
To us, the normal ordinary people it matters not a jot who is PM, not a jot. So if we oust Gordon, the problems will remain.
The current political climate is a fireball of issues that noone can hold onto for long which leaves those in power the easiest targets. This plays into the hands of those in opposition. Those in opposition deflect media and public attention towards the government by asking for a general election which they know will not happen and I believe do not actually want. If David Cameron for example was to be PM next week, Labour would bombard him with expenses issues. My suggestion for the way forward......
Leave Gordon Brown where he is.
Sort out the expenses rules.
Have a meaningful investigation into expenses claims and grade each and every MP on a scale of 1 - 100.
Then and only then, have a general election so that whoever we vote for, we will know who has done what compared to the ones we are not voting for.
MP's be warned, your quest for power must be with a view to help your citizens and not to enhance your comforts.
Complain about this comment
Although the numbers would have to be tweaked in light of byelections, etc., the 2007 Scottish election results are here.
Complain about this comment
#178. oldnat
wrong accent.
Complain about this comment
184 cynicalHighlander
True, They are looking for a grave. Salmond is acute.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Iain Macwirter has an article on how the countries in the arc of prosperity are fairing after the credit crunch.
http://www.sundayherald.com/oped/opinion/display.var.2512838.0.0.php
His conclusion after in depth research (all on expenses no doubt) is that,
"It would be a mistake, however, to use these countries' experiences to draw conclusions about the future of nationalism, or the prospect of independence in Scotland. Nationhood, the will for independence and self-reliance, is not affected by economic statistics. Iceland, as we have seen, is a small northern nation that remains fiercely independent.
And no matter how bad it gets, or how long the recession lasts, you will never hear anyone in Dublin saying that they want to be back in the UK"
I think we could have told him that without the trip.
Complain about this comment
#178 oldnat
and every time he cries "Order, order!" someone runs in with the half-time pies
Complain about this comment
#185
ROFL
Complain about this comment
YouGov poll of Labour Party members - I've combined the data for England and Wales to contrast it with the Scots responses. Column headings for each response set are Response, Scotland, England & Wales
How well do you think Gordon Brown has been performing recently?
WELL, 65%, 54%
BADLY, 30%, 45%
Who has handled the crisis over MPs expenses best?
Gordon Brown, 40%, 24%
David Cameron, 9%, 15%
Nick Clegg, 5%, 10%
Do you think Gordon Brown is generally a strong or a weak leader?
Strong, 70%, 47%
Weak, 22%, 42%
Do you think Gordon Brown is generally a strong or a weak leader?
Strong, 70%, 47%
Weak, 22%, 42%
Do you think Gordon Brown is generally good or bad at communicating his ideas to the public?
Good, 40%, 27%
Bad, 51%, 67%
How long do you think Gordon Brown should stay as Labour leader?
He should step down immediately, 9%, 22%
He should stay for the time being but step down before the next election, 17%, 27%
He should lead Labour into the next general election, 71%, 44%
When Labour ditch Gordon as leader it will be interesting to see how Scots Labour members respond.
Complain about this comment
http://www.oilofscotland.org would like to thank some of the posters on this blog for their comments which can now also be found at;
http://www.oilofscotland.org/scotlands_news.asp
Along with a the latest news on Scottish Politics.
If you want to replicate your comments on our blog we would be most grateful.
http://www.oilofscotland.blogware.com/
Complain about this comment
190. At 11:09pm on 06 Jun 2009, oldnat:
Good set of figures. If applied to Scots in general, it might be reflective as to the recent council elections where they gained two seats.
I wonder if Gordon Brown actually appeals more to some Scots because he comes across a dour, totally in contrast to Tony Blair, who came across at times as a salesman.
He is also quite good at appearing calm in a crisis. When we had the terrorist incidents in Glasgow, he gave a brief broadcast from No10. No frills etc. Straightforward talk. Had that been Tony Blair, it would have been stage managed.
But being a dour Scot is not attractive to the English, certainly those in the South East. And having a Chancellor with such charisma doesn't help either.
Alex Salmond is not dour, but neither does he come across as a wide boy. Although when facing FMQs he gets a bit jolly - understandable to be honest when you have a comedian facing you.
Voters do not always go for policies, they go for personalities. That is true for Alex Salmond. He is a popular figure. You immediately know he is associated with the SNP even if you are disinterested in politics. That brings in a few votes in itself. Ian Gray on the other hand has problems getting people to know he is an MSP, let alone leader of the Labour Party up here.
Boris Johnson is the best example. Big, cheery chap. Speaks his mind at times. Messes up on occasion but people don't mind. Contrast him with dreary Ken Livingston. Policies different ends if the political spectrum, but Boris still gets in. Any other conservative candidate would have lost.
So no matter how strong the policies, personality can still trip you up.
By the way, I'm not for one minute suggesting that Gordon Brown is going to sweep the nation off its feet! Just an observation or two.
Complain about this comment
Joiner: 'I didn't do work Devine claimed for'
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2512926.0.0.php
Complain about this comment
It seems that the Beeb don't like the Sunday Herald story on the expenses claim of the MP for Livingston. Doesn't matter that they have blocked my #193. You can all read it for yourselves.
Complain about this comment
I think the general public couldnt care less about reshuffles and recent interviews with politicians have only reinforced how distant they are from joe publc-You still cant get a straight answer to a straight question,parliament is still a punch and judy show and we have a government on life support.It doesnt matter what Labour do,like an old car or an old suite its simply time for a change.
Complain about this comment
#166 GrassyKnollington &
#170 GrassyKnollington &
#171 Diabloandco
Re "Obama Beach", thanks for the heads up on this and particularly the YouTube reference.
Having listened to it, it ruins the man's reputation as an historian forever. Nobody born in the early 50s who knew anything significant about recent history could have failed to have the names of the invasion beaches burned into his consciousness.
Surprising that while virtually all the dead-tree press at least mention the booing by veterans and the "mis-speak", our Aunty Beeb continues to ignore it.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#174 cynicalHighlander
Thanks for the heads-up on the NoW/ICM poll. There are now some Janet & John graphics on the NoW website, but no details yet on the ICM one. They should arrive in the next few days and will certainly be worth analysing if Duff Gordon lasts that long.
I'll hold off from re-doing the Portillo List at least until mid-week.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#181 Skip_NC
"Of course, a vote for one person in one city in a part of the country that distrusts the Westminster Establishment almost as much as the Scots is nothing more than the first green shoot of recovery from a dreadful government and an unwritten constitution that denies proper democracy."
Very true. From a trawl through the EDP website, it does seem that this was their first serious electoral success, and the Doncaster Council website shows they got 25,344 votes.
Their key policies are English self-determination and fiscal autonomy, but except on that and on Europe, they don't seem too different from the Tories, with an emphasis on Swiss-style referenda on key issues. I was slightly surprised that they don't push electoral reform, since they'll probably need it to make a real breakthrough.
They do seem to have a very UKIP-like wish to keep sterling and exit the EU in favour of EFTA, regarding that as more important than continuation of the UK. They suggest a Council of the Isles replaces it if other home nations wish to remain in the EU.
In a UK context, their oddest policy seems to be a desire for a plebiscite to allow Monmouthshire to decide whether it wishes to return to England or to remain in Wales. In Switzerland, of course, that would not be odd at all, but they might have balanced it with a promise of a plebiscite for Berwick and other border regions.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
187 Dubbieside
As McWhirter concludes:
"And no matter how bad it gets, or how long the recession lasts, you will never hear anyone in Dublin saying that they want to be back in the UK."
Just one of the irrefutable points conveniently overlooked by the Brit-nat opportunists who seek to contend that Scotland's birthright can be bought and sold by the Bank of England.
Complain about this comment
#184 cynicalHighlander &
#185 oldnat
Très drôle!
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#192 Neil
Another good post.
Agree with your analysis. Brown being a (dour) Scot is one of the main reasons he is so resented 'down south' - however, we in Scotland have as many if not more reasons to resent him, as a particularly careerist inheritor of the New Labour mantle, and all that represents.
As far as personality is important - and I'd agree it counts for a great deal, not only in terms of both statesmanship and popular trust, but core political ability and effectiveness - the contrasts between Brown and Salmond could hardly be greater.
Still, even given Brown's evident dearth of 'people skills', he might have got away with it if he'd just kept the heid doon and got on with 'competently' running the UK, instead of lurching from one mis-handled crisis to another.
As unwise as it would be for a supporter of any party to appear complacent about them, it must be said that, under the 'constitutional status quo', there is no other party wholly competing with the SNP for the best interests of Scotland.
Inevitably, only once we have secured Scottish sovereignty from all Westminster interference, can a vital balance of Scottish democracy be fully stimulated and enabled to evolve.
Complain about this comment
#190 oldnat
Thanks for the poll analysis - some interesting numbers there, especially as the data is for "Labour Party members only", an endangered species and which a few responses to your post don't seem to have noticed. Taking the electorate as a whole the picture would be even more dammning for Duff Gordon.
I'm sure you're right that "[w]hen Labour ditch Gordon as leader it will be interesting to see how Scots Labour members respond." A key indicator may be the very significant difference between the responses is on "No it is not possible for Labour to win under ..." which analyses as follows:
Leader, Scotland, E & W, Overall
Gordon Brown, 20%, 33%, 32%
Alan Johnson, 33%, 18%, 19%
If members really feel strongly about it, it could just be the catalyst for a real Scottish Labour Party to break away which might destroy Labour for the next election but would not be such good news for the SNP in the medium term.
It will inevitably come with home rule, of course, but this might be just a little premature!
PS: Those wanting to analyse the data for themselves can download the XL spreadsheet from Channel 4 News.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Labour Party turning on each other: "My duty is to the people who elect me and not in self-indulgent egotism of people like Hazel Blears and James Purnell and others who want foolishly to think it's about saving their seat..."
Complain about this comment
"A SCOTTISH Labour MP is under intense pressure to quit after his local publican flatly contradicted the MP's explanation of joinery work charged to the public purse"
oops
Complain about this comment
201. At 11:32am on 07 Jun 2009, Dougie-Dubh:
I think you comment on Gordon Brown "keeping his head down" is entirely accurate. I get a feeling that's what he intended to do, but global economics blew that one apart, since it exposed the weakness in Labour economic policy.
Back on personalities, we have a cabinet with a strong element of stubborness in it. Brown is stubborn, Darling won't budge and neither will Milliband. Then we have Glenys Kinnock coming in, another one who doesn't like to be shoved. True, McNulty has gone, one of the most arrogant ministers I have ever witnessed. And now Sir Alan Sugar has been brought in as an "advisor". Not a man known for being subtle.
Mandelson ask people to stop sniping at the PM, yet we have an email of his leaked. I'd like to know what his influence over Brown is. And as far as I know, there is nothing in constitutional law preventing Mandelson becoming Prime Minister. The last time this happened was when Churchill replaced Chamberlain, with Lord Halifax touted as an alternative to Churchill. I don't think this will happen, but nothing would surprise me now.
Complain about this comment
"LABOUR ACTIVISTS are to take the unprecedented step of calling on police to investigate one of their party's MPs for alleged fraud."
oops
Complain about this comment
"Devine did not return calls."
oops
Complain about this comment
"One backbench Labour MP described the mood of his party as 'close to suicidal, if I'm honest.'"
oops
Complain about this comment
156. At 3:08pm on 06 Jun 2009, dontism:
FEEFIFOFUM.................sniff sniff.
Ya see, most people know when they are being sha**ted. Most don't like it but there are some who enjoy taking it...?
I'll say no more, people more clever than I have already "gently" kicked you in the tender parts.
**********
Did anyone see the old war vetran with his message from England, just before he invited the "English" PM to lay a wreath at the D-Day event?
Wonder who was representing Ireland, Wales and Scotland? Yeah its still alive and kicking!
Complain about this comment
Interesting intro from the BBC's Douglas Fraser on his blog, Douglas starts with the following sentence:
Scotland is not Latvia or Ireland, facing double digit contraction, brutal public spending cuts, and doubts that the deficits can be funded.
It is therefor only a coincidence that both he and Ian MacWhirter should both focus on these two small independent countries in separate pieces, whilst completely ignoring other more successfull examples of small independent countries, some who who have an abundance of natural resources and some who do not.
Past readers of The Herald will also note that Douglas was viewed as being 'less than fair' in matters of Union versus Independence.
PS
Pay close attention to the swine flu coverage in Scotland. Gray and co have demonstrated a complete lack of respect and responsibility recently and there will be some who are champing at the bit to use this in order to get at the SNP and Sturgeon.
Complain about this comment
Brian
You've got to hand it to the ancient Greeks, they knew a bit or two about drama. The tragic hero, the coils that ensnare, the commenting chorus they are all here today and we get to watch it for free. Where is the Earl of Oxford when you need him, forget your Hamlets, Lears and Macbeths, what would he make of the Tragedie of Global Brown in many Acts and scenes. Enter Lord Mandelson stage left "He is an angry man and should not dissemble, prithee." Chorus of Ministers "Rock not the boat lest we loose our expense." Alarums, excursions, exeunt omnes.
We can but stand and gawp and wish we had the wit to turn this truth to a million making work of fiction.
Complain about this comment
209. At 12:51pm on 07 Jun 2009, waitingformyman wrote:
Did anyone see the old war vetran with his message from England, just before he invited the "English" PM to lay a wreath at the D-Day event?
Wonder who was representing Ireland, Wales and Scotland? Yeah its still alive and kicking!
-----------
That comment is inexcusable I'm afraid. An eighty/ninety year old man, there to remember his comrades, and you decide to have a dig at him?
Keep your criticisms to more appropriate targets.
Complain about this comment
I see the tories are making a big deal of Sir Alan (he's no a Lord yet!) joining the cabinet, saying he must choose between his role as a government advisor and the TV show The Apprentice. I don't know why. Surely, though, the one thing we want Sir Alan to say to Gordie is,"Gordon, you're fired!".
Complain about this comment
#211
Global Brown and the Poisoned Challice : Always Rowing
Politics and Professionalism = Xavier Spense
Got to Pick a Pocket or Two : Whathe Dickens
and a couple of airport specials
The Bankrupt Inheritance : CMD
The Point of No Return, The Economics of a Flight to Disaster : M Keynes
Complain about this comment
#99 greenockboy
"Any news on Jim Devine?" &
#203 bighullabaloo
Connarty's "My duty is to the people who elect me ...."
You certainly wouldn't know about Devine from looking at the BBC's main Scotland politics or Politics pages. On the contrary, where we see stories like
MP [Michael Connarty] defends expenses allegations, with an unchallenged story about as believable as Devine's presumably constructed from Connarty's press release.
#204 bighullabaloo &
#206 bighullabaloo &
#207 bighullabaloo
Thanks for the pointers. Odd that the Herald already has three articles on the Devine story before the BBC can manage to say a thing.
All three are well worth a look: "Joiner: 'I didn't do work Devine claimed for'", "Police asked to probe Devine expenses claim" and "Alan Taylor's week"
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#212 Neil
To be fair, I think wfmm was having a fair go at the institutional misuse of the word "England" in this of all contexts.
I think we all recognise the war heroes of the Allied forces who came, and come, from many parts of these islands, and indeed the world, fought for something significantly greater the exclusive entity of "England", and that it shouldn't be too much for anyone to use the word "Britain", if that is their intended reference.
Looking at the current state of the UK, it is a wee bit ironic, given that the united and victorious efforts of World Wars I and II were not England's but Britain's 'finest hour'.
Slainte
Complain about this comment
212. At 1:14pm on 07 Jun 2009, Neil_Small147
Like I said, its alive and kicking!!!
His attitude was offensive and disturbing, as is your lack of integrity.
He knew EXACTYLY what he was saying. And HE more than anyone (followed sharply by you) should be bl**dy well be reminded, that MY grandfather in the seaforth highlanders defeated Romell in the desert and that Italian dictator, he came from Scotland, I don't think he was alone! I'm quite sure there was 2-3 on the beaches.
PhaH!
Complain about this comment
Sir Alan Sugar hails £30m 'equitable' Viglen win
"Viglen, the UK PC maker, has won a Office of Government Commerce contract worth up to £30m to supply public sector organisations with 70,000 PCs. Its chairman, Sir Alan Sugar, is very pleased indeed."
Wouldn't be because hard drives don't shred as easy as paper does.
Complain about this comment
#192 Neil_Small147 &
#201 Dougie-Dubh &
#205 Neil_Small147 &
#208 bighullabaloo
"close to suicidal, if I'm honest"
Re Duff Gordon's dourness, I'm not so sure that's the problem.
Fulton Mackay's Senior Prison Officer Mackay in Porridge and John Laurie's Pte. Frazer in Dad's Army were both dour - Frazer particularly so - but are beloved by audiences through the English-speaking world because they come across as simpatico - a quality few would accuse Duff Gordon of possessing. John Laurie actually stressed his dourness in his almost single-handed reintroduction to the world of McGonagall yet was loved all the more for it.
I suggest that Duff Gordon's problem is more his vacillation, hesitation and inability to understand how others see him, as evidenced by the YouTube performance which gave rise to Ms Blears' "YouTube if you want to" soundbite. IMO, bighullabaloo's quote from the Sunday Herald's "The end?" is more on the money, especially with its: "Brown ended his week from hell with a performance in that would have set alarms bells ringing in psychiatric consultant rooms across Britain."
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
The BBC in Scotland are fast losing any remnants of credibility as far as balanced political coverage is concerned.
An entirely appropriate, modest and reasonable claim for food has been desperately portrayed by the Unionists and the press in Scotland as though it were inappropriate, questionable or excessive.
Scottish newspapers and politicians are expected to behave in this manner, indeed they have done so consistently since the SNP came to power.
The BBC however have a duty to behave in a responsible non partisan and balanced manner. People are compelled to pay the salaries of those writing these stories through the licence fee.
However this 'food' nonsense is disgracefull for two reasons.
1. It pales into insignificance when compared with very real, possibly fraudulent, claims from Scottish Labour MP's, claims that are routinely ignored by the media here in Scotland - the BBC included.
2. Salmond's claim is modest, falls easily within the rules and is morally acceptable. It is also an expense that is widely recognised as being normal within the private sector. The expenses rules in this instance are designed in such a manner that claims can be made for costs that fall outside of the month that the claim was made.
The BBC article also uses (not for the first time) low brow 'tabloidesque' headline wording:
Salmond expenses row stepped up
However, let's look at the gist of this 'row'.
The Tories bring a fresh attempt to force Alex Salmond to publish his diaries, in a dispute over his Westminster expenses.
Now, what is it that Unionists are accusing Salmond of?
It seems that they are alleging Salmond has claimed for food when he didn't spend the entire week in London. This is strange though given that no MP is required to stay the full week. Also, MP's can submit claims for timespells that fall outside the month of the claim, they can also have parliamentary business outwith London.
The Unionists are also demanding that the First Minister publish the contents of his diary. Leaving aside the ridiculous suggestion that Scotland's First Minister should open his personal diaries to the public, one wonders what difference it would make.
What we have is yet another smear campaign conducted by a Unionist cabal at Holyrood. Such a campaign can be conducted with anything even when the target of the smear has conducted him/herself impeccably. It requires nothing but a headline or two and the public do the rest of the work themselves.
A sitting Labour MP in Scotland is about to be investigated by the police at the behest of fellow Labour activists. Another Labour MP is at the centre of very real questionable expense claims involving furniture. The Labour MP for Glasgow East was forced to resign due to ill (w)health and expenses totalling over half a million pounds. Both the PM and Chancellor, both Scottish Labour MP's have been shown to have broken the rules in second home claims.
As everyone focusses on the downfall of Gordon Brown and the disintegration of Labour South of the border, we are in danger of taking our eye off the ball in Scotland.
Remember, the scrutiny that the English are applying IS NOT HAPPENING HERE !!. Instead we are seeing a shield being erected around Labour whilst smears against the SNP are broadcast in place of Labour scandals.
Complain about this comment
Gordon Brown has popped up on BBC and SKY at the same time, I can't believe what I am watching - It's like watchimg a car crash in slow motion.
This man and his party are now scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Complain about this comment
Remember that it took the BBC fully ten days to actually mention Jim Devine, it was only when a second of Devine's claims (shelves) appeared that the story was covered.
Another aspect of the Salmond food 'non story' is that it isn't altogether clear what the Unionists are accusing Salmond of. Much like the MacAskill campaign they started with one area then moved to another.
Futhermore, if the BBC now deems claims for food to merit such coverage then a proverbial avalanche of stories awaits as every Scottish MP is pursued.
Of course, every one of us knows that this absolutely will not happen.
Complain about this comment
217. At 3:29pm on 07 Jun 2009, waitingformyman wrote:
212. At 1:14pm on 07 Jun 2009, Neil_Small147
Like I said, its alive and kicking!!!
His attitude was offensive and disturbing, as is your lack of integrity.
He knew EXACTYLY what he was saying. And HE more than anyone (followed sharply by you) should be bl**dy well be reminded, that MY grandfather in the seaforth highlanders defeated Romell in the desert and that Italian dictator, he came from Scotland, I don't think he was alone! I'm quite sure there was 2-3 on the beaches.
PhaH!
-==============
Don't you dare question my integrity.
As #216 Dougie noted, I know what your message was, but you picked someone who is probably over 90 and cannot defend himself. So what if that is his attitude - it is probably how he was brought up. That can't be changed now.
But you decided to choose him, and then justify your choice.
My grandfather landed on the flipping beach at Arromanches as well, on the first wave of assault engineers. Half of his company was Scottish. But no one there started debating whether it was Britain, Scotland or England they were fighting for. I don't need reminding of anything.
Leave the guy alone.
Anyone else here think that the old veteran is a fair target?
Complain about this comment
BBC Scotland decides to revive the Salmond expenses smear story because the Sunday Herald covered it, but totally ignore the Devine expenses scandal. The clearest possible example of anti-SNP/pro-Labour bias.
Complain about this comment
Brian
Is this blog post really worth doing? Over the last year it has degenerated in to a pro & anti nationalist troll match. There is little point quoting house rules if, when folks repeatedly ignore, them you do nothing.
Complain about this comment
#220 greenockboy
Can a complaint be made to BBC in London on the basis of perceived imbalance of reporting? You could also alert the press in Europe, perhaps via an Euro MP? I'm sure BBC Scotland would be suitably embarrassed if it were circumvented and it's content and practices scrutinized by peers in the media. In the gathering storm of opinion against the Westminster government and Brown, a newsworthy slant hinting at possible anti democratic forces within the UK and Scottish media may be taken seriously.
Can you imagine a question being asked within the Brussels parliament on this matter! There's a hint for someone with a bee in their bonnet :)
Complain about this comment
#223 Neil_Small147
"Anyone else here think that the old veteran is a fair target?"
I certainly hope there won't be, but you're also going OTT. The old veterandid go OTT. Nobody is suggesting pillorying him for it, but it does leave a nasty taste in the mouth and should at least have been officially disowned.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
#225 Dave_n_Derbyshire
"Over the last year it has degenerated in to a pro & anti nationalist troll match."
Which kind of troll are you, then? And, BTW, your own comment wasn't exactly on topic.
When Aunty Beeb consistently fails to report news which puts the NuLab unionists in a poor light - Duff Gordon's Obama beach faux pas and Devine's expenses to name just two - is it not reasonable to attempt to redress the balance a little on these threads?
I note from your profile that you have also contributed to the Nick Robinson threads where the unionist tweedledums and tweedledees until recently spent most of their time merely wanting to change the figurehead in charge of Westmidden without actually reforming it. Is their behaviour any less an official vs provo unionist troll match?
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
227. At 6:11pm on 07 Jun 2009, Brownedov:
OK, maybe I was bit overreacting, but the post in question was itself out of order.
------------------
225. At 5:18pm on 07 Jun 2009, Dave_n_Derbyshire:
It's actually more constructive that some of the other blogs, and certainly better than HYS, which at times gets uncomfortably anti-Scottish/Welsh/Irish.
Most of the posters on here do make constructive comments. But you will always get extreme views on any subject.
If you don't like it, then don't stay.
Complain about this comment
Blind_Captain at 226 asks:
Can a complaint be made to BBC in London on the basis of perceived imbalance of reporting?
I don't believe so, complaints are generally to do with actual content either broadcast or published - factual inaccuracies in these cases are easy to spot.
The percieved bias you mention is difficult to prove without a detailed study of BBC output in Scotland. Such a study was recently undertaken regarding the focus of BBC National output and it found that English matters overwhelmingly featured more than they ought to have.
Why has such a study never been carried out in Scotland? Well, it would almost certainly have received the same treatment from our media here as Niall Aslen's demolition of the 'Scotland is subsidised' mantra. Niall's forensic examination of Scotland's accounts has never even been acknowledged by any media outlet far less been reported on.
Educational establishments would almost certainly not want to rock the establishment boat by sanctioning such a study. In short, news outlets in Scotland can and do act with impunity in matters of political reporting.
Finally, the BBC routinely ignore or 'forget' to respond to complaints. The recent 'divide by zero' trick question by Brian Taylor was the subject of complaints to the BBC that the BBC acknowledged - however the BBC have thus far not addressed the complaint.
Complain about this comment
Devine has had the backing of his local party, allegedly.
40 out of 500 members turned up for a meeting behind closed doors and all gave him his full backing, 8% and its aok, photo's of said shelving will be be shown that they exist. Sum' up nulab in all it's glory.
Complain about this comment
Handclapping @ # 211 has noted the aspects of classical tragedy that seem to be getting played out in Gordo's story. Handclapping glosses over though the parallel to Macbeth as we are seeing it happening.
The o'ervaulting ambition, the hesitation,the assasination, Lord Mandelson as the returning ghost at the banquet, the three (maybe more than that, more than strictly required by the script anyway) witches, the realisation that the game is up but the ambition to carry on until the bitter end and Birnam Wood arrives at Dunsinane!!
Please note, The Observer featured today the pleasant walk that is to be had at Dunkeld adjoining Birnam.
Complain about this comment
Re Salmond's expenses - it is quite breathtaking that the 'Scottish' media are still conducting such a campaign against his food bill - particuarly in the light of the stench surrounding Jim Devine and other Labour MPs - but not least because it looks increasingly politically motivated, which leaves the media outlets 'responsible' wide open to allegations of bias, quite apart from being an issue on which none of the unionist parties can claim to be on anything but shaky ground.
#225 Dave_n_Derbyshire
Another 'inlooker' who seeks to disallow our 'constitutional obsession' as a 'side issue', to be disallowed as 'unconnected' to specific blog topics.
Sooner or later, even the uninitiated will have to accept that our constitution is anything but a 'side issue', and is in fact bound up with every other 'micro-issue' of Scottish, if not UK, politics.
Not for the first time, I find myself in (general) agreement with Neil Small's recent comment.
Neil - As you say, of course no-one should wish to target any war veteran for personal criticism - however, the wider point about "England", regretably, can never go unchallenged as long as it remains such a 'running sore' of misrepresentation, not just of the nationality of war veterans, but a potential affront to so many observers who appreciate the clear distinction.
Complain about this comment
231. At 7:08pm on 07 Jun 2009, cynicalHighlander wrote:
Devine has had the backing of his local party, allegedly.
40 out of 500 members turned up for a meeting behind closed doors and all gave him his full backing, 8% and its aok, photo's of said shelving will be be shown that they exist. Sum' up nulab in all it's glory.
-----------
Mmm, 40 members. That's 5 feet of shelving each.......
---------
I suggest everyone should watch the Euro elections programme live on BBC web page. The lip synch is way out and resembles a martial arts movie :)
Complain about this comment
The continued attacks over Alex Salmonds paltry expenses by the BBC and other media shows complete bias especially when compared to the seriousness of the dodgy expense claims by Devine, Connarty, Darling and even Broon. The Unionists seem to forget that it is every Nationalist MP's aim to get in a position where they don't have to go to Westminster whereas Unionist MP's want to stay on that gravy train forever and hold back Scotland's right to self-determination at every opportunity. Unionist politicians should clean out the genuine crooks within their own parties before flinging mud at others whose expenses do not seem that unreasonable. It's a pity that they are concentrating on mud-slinging instead of trying to present the good guys within their own party in an effort to restore the publics confidence in politicians in general. I don't want to show any Unionist MP in a good light but there must a good few whose expense claims have been exemplary.
The bias shown against the SNP by BBC Scotland is becoming intolerable with every story pitched to show the SNP and Scotlands viability as an independent nation in a bad light. Even if they can't distort the story, the headline is slanted to make things look bad. Surely there must be somewhere that such bias by a public body can be reported and investigated. I'm seriously considering not paying my licence especially when the money is going to an organisation which does not reflect the Scottish publics view accurately. Come on BBC political journalists it's time to smell the coffee and realise that your reporting is unfair. Come independence I for one will not forget those who sought to hold Scotland back.
Complain about this comment
#230 greenockboy
Thank you for the reply, very informative.
I still think we can create debate within an European dimension on this subject. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
A constituent part of the European community, purposely mislead and misinformed by the media! Could be the basis of a strong and fair law to equalise reporting in Europe? And assist the Scottish electorate.
Complain about this comment
#234
That's quite an imperial stance Neil, by the inch and the square mile.
Are you pro EU?.
Complain about this comment
#229 Neil_Small147
"OK, maybe I was bit overreacting, but the post in question was itself out of order."
'Nuff said.
#234 Neil_Small147
"I suggest everyone should watch the Euro elections programme live on BBC web page. The lip synch is way out and resembles a martial arts movie"
LOL - you should see it on a medium-speed connection in Switzerland - or rather you can't! Fortunately, it can be turned off, and also fortunately for us expats the live coverage will be on BBC World News from 21:30 CET.
Post or reactive moderation for all except CBeebies, please!
Complain about this comment
Brown will stay and try to weather the storm, hoping for sunshine next year. In this task he will be suitably supported by the Brown Broadcasting Corporation and their regional outlets, after all turkeys don't vote for Christmas. What would happen to BBC Scotland in the event Independence was declared?
There is a huge task ahead of Brown, not only the relatively simple recession, but the enormous task of cleaning up the Labour Party. Is it any wonder Johnson and Milliband won't step forward? They will not ruin any future political prospects by challenging Brown and being saddled with failure at the next General Election
Complain about this comment
237. At 8:10pm on 07 Jun 2009, derekbarker wrote:
#234
That's quite an imperial stance Neil, by the inch and the square mile.
Are you pro EU?.
-------
5 feet sounds better than 152.4cm.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Anybody ready for an SNP Party?
I think I am gonna have a sore head at work tomrrow. *;o)
Saor Alba!!!
Complain about this comment
The article in Newsnight Scotland on 2 June about Jim Devine's expenses had much of the detail blotted out over a critical section by exessively loud "background music". Was this deliberate on the part of BBC Scotland or was it general incompetence of their technical wizards? You can witness it on IPLAYER if it hasn't been wiped.
Complain about this comment
I had a post (186) referred to the moderator on 6th at 22.33 and still have had no explanation till now (7th @ 22.000). It was pointing out that Gordon Brown's distasteful sycophancy to English audiences to prove his Britishness has not changed their deepening dislike of him as a Scot and that he is getting exactly what all sychophants deserve and inevitably get.
Can anybody tell me how many councillors Labour has in Scotland? With less than 180 councillors left in England as of this morning (to the Tories' 1530 and the LibDems 480)I think they have more councillors in Scotland than their total in England and Wales.
This is the biggest drubbing a government party has ever had in British politics.
The Labour Party in England may be finished as a party of government. Since they were eaten alive by the Nulabour imposter they have jettisoned all legitimacy and all political coherence and there may be no way back. I believe we see a deepening of the politcal divide between England and Scotland and our politics diverging radically.
Will a Real Labour be reborn in Scotland, free of London? Will it support independence?
Complain about this comment
212
Neil, it wasn't a 80/90 year old man. It was the altogether more sprightly MC of the event who announced Brown as "England's" PM and I found it deeply offensive.
Complain about this comment
Brian's just been on the telly - current estimates are that SNP will beat Labour into second place with 29% of the vote to 21% but this might not be enough to win a third Euro Seat. Tories look likely to be the big losers on the night, going from two seats to one.
Complain about this comment
#244 sneckedagain
Someone posted the BBC result of the 2007 council elections recently and I sort of remember 384 so it's atleast twice as many.
Complain about this comment
#247
Handclapping! the jungle rock fever and the monkeys are making some noise. Give me a kingdom so I can hand it over to Europe! that doesn't sound to good handclapping.
Complain about this comment
Jeremy Vine on the Beeb this evening, Euro Election estimates again are for a swing from Labour to SNP of between 9-11%. If this carried over to a GE (Bearing in mind, as we all know, that there are serious difficulties extrapolating GE forecasts from Euro polling data) it would potentially wipe Labour out in Edinburgh (Goodbye Mess'rs Darling and Murphy) and Gordon Brown would have the SNP breathing down his neck in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Heady stuff, indeed!
Complain about this comment
As if to underline what has been written with regards the different approach from the BBC to the SNP compared than to Labour. We now have had two headlines from the BBC in Scotland regarding Labour MP Jim Devine, both are less than harsh and don't name the MP.
Manipulating headline wording is actually an old 'indian trick' where the use of words and the perspective of a story can influence those reading the article.
Many years ago Tony Benn, ex Labour cabinet minister, explained how this worked when reporting on industrial disputes. The workforce were routinely described as having 'demanded' or 'refused', whereas management were described as 'requesting' and 'declined'.
If you take a look at recent headlines from the BBC in Scotland you will notice a tendency to report Labour politicians faced with allegations as 'defending', 'defiant', the allegations themselves are described as 'claims'. In other words the articles are basically presenting the response from the Labour politicians whilst at the same time softening the language used to describe the alleged misdemeanour.
Here is how the Devine story has been covered by the BBC thus far:
Party to probe Scots MP expenses
followed by:
Claims row MP wins local support
Pretty benign headlines, completely at odds with the seriousness of this MP's behaviour and the clearly damaging evidence and as I have said, the MP not identified by name.
'Party to probe' gives the impresion that Labour are on the case and that he is being scrutinised, 'wins local support' leads the reader to believe that the MP is perhaps innocent and has the support of those in the community. The impression given is that the pressure has eased, that the MP has had the claims looked at and has won support after this scrutiny - the story is now not important, move along please.
The sentence below is actually the only reference each article makes to Devine's actual expenses claims:
The MP has faced allegations that he submitted receipts for work from a company that may never have existed.
Note that the allegedly fraudulent nature of the claims is ignored as are the very damaging details of both of Devine's claims, the BBC allude to only one and completely ignore the other.
Now let's have a look at the headlines involving a demonstrably appropriate, modest and clearly acceptable claim for food.
Salmond and Tories expenses clash
followed by:
Salmond expenses row stepped up
The first thing is that Salmond is clearly identified in both headlines, the wording is overly dramatic 'clash', 'row stepped up'.
The wording of the second article is the most important, it is saying to the reader that this story has got worse, it has escalated - this story is important!!
There is nothing new at all in the ludicrous smear against Salmond, absolutely nothing has changed. However, the BBC are deliberately presenting the story as if something new has caused it to escalate.
Again, contrast these headlines with the Jim Devine headlines and you are left in no doubt that the BBC have no wish to 'escalate' the Devine story but that they are trying to push the food story instead.
I won't be at all surprised that, despite the SNP clearly winning the popular vote in the Euro election, the headlines will push the fact that Labour still have two Euro MEP's.
Complain about this comment
#248 derek
I've no kingdom but I've got 60m of heavy duty shelving I got from a man in a pub just round the corner from where you were a babby. Will that do?
Complain about this comment
223. At 4:38pm on 07 Jun 2009, Neil_Small147 wrote:
"Don't you dare question my integrity." (Didn't, there's none to Q)
"So what if that is his attitude - it is probably how he was brought up. That can't be changed now." (Yeah well, I was brought up too and so was My Grandad!)
"But you decided to choose him, and then justify your choice." (Nothing to justify - gype!)
"My grandfather landed on the flipping beach at Arromanches as well, on the first wave of assault engineers. Half of his company was Scottish." (You should know better then)
"I don't need reminding of anything." ( Yes you do)
"Leave the guy alone." (No, someone needs to speak for our heros.)
"Anyone else here think that the old veteran is a fair target?" (I know of a couple of "over 90 year olds" that would be turning in their graves trying to get at him.)
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS