Election time

Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting. Roll on May!

I seem to be the first to comment. No doubt we'll have some nationalists along in a minute who will claim the maintenance was a London conspiracy to deny the Scottish people their right to whinge.

It was interesting to see the First Minister claim that his government had built over 300 schools. Can he point to which schools his government has given financial close to (ie funded or part funded) and which have been built?

Time for change! I don't think that one charismatic snake oil salesman makes for a good government. Only a few weeks of amateur administration left
Iain Gray will be a breath of fresh air for Scotland and will be a great FM

Brian,

Having watched it live on holyrood.tv, I'm surprised you don't mention how much more successfully Aunty Bella and Tavish Scott were at putting across their points by being at least civil and reasonably constructive.

That Iain Gray has not a constructive idea in his persona meant that his constant repetition in "Mr Angry" mode stood out more starkly than ever. Hardly his finest hour, although arguably the FM could have done better still by suggesting that - with only one more MSP than Labour - his government met a good 90% of its manifesto pledges compared with .... er, now, exactly how many of their election pledges have Labour met?

To Robin Harper

Happy retirement (I still remember the continuous party in your King St flat in Aberdeen in the 60s!)

'I rather liked his comment that self-government had encouraged "more Scots to walk a little taller, cringe a little less and have ideas above their station."'

Amazing how the Unionists always leave comments like this till the point when it makes not the slightest difference to the Scottish discourse. No doubt we can look forward to Lord Jack earning his expenses, standing tall and cringing only a little bit under the weight of establishment ermine. Difficult to have ideas above your station in the House of Lords, unless one aspires to kingship.

Colin

You say "he's the FM in waiting".

I respond "and waiting, and waiting and waiting ....."

Can't yopu say anything else?

IG-FM? That's humour. I recognise that! Right? Because I don't recognise that today showed any objective evidence which would justify a change in who represents Scotland.....

Brian,
"liked his comment that self-government had encouraged "more Scots to walk a little taller, cringe a little less and have ideas above their station." "
Indeed, ideas above our station like running our own country, perhaps? The sooner we are shot of westminster and all the unionist parties the better. I see the labour goons were waiting ready for "the maintenance" to finish. What a rush they are in to tell us how wonderful that chap that [sort of] leads the [sort of] scottish labour rabble is. Obviously needing to visit an optician and perhaps a psychiatrist.

We have a choice of the next government in Scotland, and we will have a social democrat government whatever happens.

The policy differences between them are minimal so the choice has to be based on which is likely to have the most competent Cabinet, and which is most likely to concentrate on getting us through the next few difficult years instead of picking fights with Westminster as part of the election campaign for 2015.

#1 Colin
"Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting. Roll on May!"

Whilst disagreeing entirely with your first sentence, at least we are in agreement on your second.

Good to see that you're developing a more consensual approach than in your first ever post, which was plain wrong in its entirety.

For those with an open mind, they can watch or download the last FMQs of the parliament just dissolved here.

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"walk a little taller, cringe a little less and have ideas above their station" - what a begrudging, worthless, patronising and sneering attempt at a compliment.

What "station" does Mr McConnell think appropriate for we Scots to have dared aspire to? I presume the House of Lords won't consider him to have achieved above his particular station.

Just belatedly read the Sunday Post. Paraphrasing for brevity their article seems to say there is no difference between Labour and SNP on policy so it'll be down to personality. It goes on to say AS has lots perhaps too much and IG doesn't have much if any so in these difficult times it would be safer to have IG as FM! Didn't follow their logic which only seemed to say in dour times we need dour people. Doesn't seem to fit with walking tall and cringing less. Dour people are dull because their own thoughts don't excite them.

Came across an interesting word Unionosis today which says it all.

The leader of London Labour Scottish branch IG still on snarl mode what a sad man.

brian, I have just watched First Ministers questions.

What struck me is how plainly obvious it was that ian grey and labour have nothing.

No policy, No talent.

I for the life of me cannot see on what grounds they think they should be re-elected.

No 3, Mr Gringo,

You'll be viewing events from Ozland then!

Or, you are giving truth to these words:

'There are none so blind as those who will not see'

We have a choice of the next government in Scotland,

"The policy differences between them are minimal"

yeah they are now.... And by this do you assume that the recent policy shift will be maintained or will it drift into oblivion?

If I were new to this blog, I'd have read #1 and decided it was a joke sheet.

After May perhaps there will be a new leader of the Labour MSPs, then they can get down to being an effective opposition.

Maybe they will also adopt some policies that aren't the SNP's.

Even if they win I hope Labour MSPs will elect a new leader because I just do not think Iain Gray is a man who can represent Scotland.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Interesting choices of topic from Iain Gray on the last FMQ's before the election. By mentioning SNP broken promises on student funding and council tax he did leave himself open to Alex Salmond saying he was stealing SNP policies. Once again, of course Mr Salmond gets away without answering the question, I can only hope that the new Presiding Officer holds the FM to account a lot better in the next Parliament.

Labour are following an interesting strategy. By reasoning that last time round they lost a lot of votes on issues such as Bridge Tolls, Council Tax, A & E Departments and student funding to people who aren't natural SNP supporters, they are hoping this time round to take those arguments away from the SNP. They are hoping that the question then becomes - why vote SNP? If the only major policy difference between the two is independence, and the majority of Scots are still against it, then there is no reason to vote SNP other than if you support independence. This they are hoping, combined with pledges on crime and a "living wage for all" will reduce the SNP vote enough to see them back in power. An interesting strategy, will it work?

Iain Gray - First Minister in waiting

The "Magpie" of Scottish Politics - stealing policies on Council Tax,Tuition Fees and now help for first time buyers

No Vision for Scotland other than not to ban cheap booze

With 9%, just 9% who think he would be best First Minister

Back to the "Branch style" politics where mediocrity and to down Scotland is norm

Looks to me that Labour are going to run on a negative ticket by attacking the SNPs record in Government and its stance on independence as opposed to anything they might believe in themselves.How long will it be before Wendy joins the rest of the labour Aristos in the Big House.I predict straight after the election.

I have no respect a man who snarls and sneers whilst spouting mis leading nonsense.


London Labour minion Iain Gray falls into that category.

Election Time


"Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting. Roll on May!"
-----------------------------------------------------------

"For the first time in modern Scottish political history a Conservative party leader has become more popular than a Labour party leader. According to an ICM poll, conducted between 13 and 14 March, of 1003 Scottish voters Iain Gray is now less popular than Scottish Conservative leader Annabelle Goldie."

"The poll asked: "Putting aside your own party preference, which one [party leader] of the following do you think is best qualified to be First Minister of Scotland?" Respondents put SNP leader Alex Salmond way out in the lead on 43% with nearest rival Annabel Goldie registering 10% just ahead of Iain gray on 9%."

Iain Gray is as popular as a mormon lap-dancing club in Kabul

Hi Scotland

I know most of you use the GreaseMonkey user script. It appears that, since the BBC has updated the forum format, the BBC comment responder has stopped working. Is it the same for us all, or do I need to update to Firefox 4???

Watched FMQ, afraid it was just the usual as regards IG, snarling accusing and firmly put in his place by AS.
There is definitely a theme in the "not much to choose between Labour and the SNP, well I beg to differ, there is a world of difference between a party that has consistently fought to better Scotland and the party that have come very late to some of the more helpful policies. Last minute u turns do not build a sense of competence nor of integrity, can we belive that a party that has made such dramatic last minute changes to policies are absolutely committed to them?
So the campaign officially starts, we have Labour slightly ahead in the polls, offering not a lot of difference in policies. We have the SNP having made a reasonable fist of there first ever term in Government. It is the area of competence and integrity that this election should be fought.

21. At 17:22pm on 22nd Mar 2011, edinchris wrote:
Interesting choices of topic from Iain Gray on the last FMQ's before the election. By mentioning SNP broken promises on student funding and council tax he did leave himself open to Alex Salmond saying he was stealing SNP policies. Once again, of course Mr Salmond gets away without answering the question, I can only hope that the new Presiding Officer holds the FM to account a lot better in the next Parliament.

A quite valid point, Chris!

I often despair at FMQ's at the 'squabbling weans' session its has been allowed to become - by one A Ferguson!!

I was a bit taken aback at all the praise heaped upon him as I think he is a living example of the 'Peter Principle' - people getting promoted above their level of competence.

My hope for the new session (governed by the SNP) is that Auntie Bella will become the new Presiding Officer, After all, she will be out of a job when DaveBoy fires her after the election!! But she has done a commendable job in trying to make a minority government work and she should be commended for that.

On the other hand why did Lord Jake have such a sullen expression throughout the session - does he sense a catastrophic defeat for the LPoWis on the cards In May??

On yet another hand, weebendybrownbagswendy was beaming - all the way to oblivion!!??

#21 - "They are hoping that the question then becomes - why vote SNP? If the only major policy difference between the two is independence, and the majority of Scots are still against it, then there is no reason to vote SNP other than if you support independence."

As others have already mentioned - isn't it wonderful that Joke McConnell criticises the union mantra of too wee, too poor, too stupid just as it no longer matters to him. I wonder how many of his colleagues that he leaves behind still cling to it.

As for policy differences, this just highlights that the grayman's labour party have nothing to offer Scotland, so why not cut out the middle man and just elect the nationalists?

There is one area (other than independence) where labour and the nats still differ and that's energy policy. Remember, the grayman and his cronies refused to back the rest of holyrood on petrol prices. There's also the spectre of nuclear where the grayman would see many new plants in Scotland. These plants, of course, wouldn't be to provide Scotland with power (well, no more than a modicum) but for exporting south. Everyone knows the real reason the onionists want Scotland to have nuclear power is to provide the convenient excuse that Scotland's nuclear waste must be dumped somewhere and a suitable site would have more than enough spare capacity to take waste from elsewhere in the UK.

#10 reincarnation

"We have a choice of the next government in Scotland, and we will have a social democrat government whatever happens."
It's rare that I disagree with what you write, but this is one of those occasions unless you accidentally wrote will when you meant to write may. There are perhaps a few signs - not yet confided to Mr Gray, it would appear - that Lab under EdM will return to the social democracy it abandoned under "new" Labour, but Gray's vehement opposition to LIT, despite the failed attempts of his party to propose any alternative to Council Tax, let alone a fairer one, puts your statement in serious doubt. Not that I believe that dour Iain is committed to any form of taxation judging by his uncosted promises, of course.

"The policy differences between them are minimal so the choice has to be based on which is likely to have the most competent Cabinet, and which is most likely to concentrate on getting us through the next few difficult years instead of picking fights with Westminster as part of the election campaign for 2015."
There we're back to being in agreement, and the continued "denial" attitude of the junior Mr Ed in particular makes it pretty obvious that "picking fights with Westminster" will be an integral part of the remit given to Mr Gray by the senior Md Ed should Lab win.

26. At 17:40pm on 22nd Mar 2011, DisgustedinDERRY wrote:

Hi Scotland

I know most of you use the GreaseMonkey user script. It appears that, since the BBC has updated the forum format, the BBC comment responder has stopped working. Is it the same for us all, or do I need to update to Firefox 4???

Not working for me either 3.6.15 the new version 4 has missing 'add ons' facilities.

#26 DisgustedinDERRY

I have the same problem.

#28 djmac7

Bella for PO? Labour are the only party not to have provided a PO in any Parliament.

If they don't propose an appropriate candidate this time, the other parties should combine to deny them a single Committee Convenorship.

#1 - "Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting. Roll on May!"

The grayman's dig at the FM, "As the FM would have it, 2000 million pounds", as if this clarity is somehow pretentious, highlights yet again how childish, bitter and pathetic the grayman really is. That's why less than 9% of Scots would want him as FM.

#30 Barbazenzero

No. I meant what I said. Whether that social democrat government is both competent and sticks to the concept that equality needs to increase is the question.

There have been some really bad social democrat governments in many countries! Let's hope that Scots voters reelect an honest one.

#28 djmac7
"My hope for the new session (governed by the SNP) is that Auntie Bella will become the new Presiding Officer"

It's definitely Lab's turn to provide the PO, and they will have a rough time from all the other parties if they don't. Should Ms Baillie retain her seat at Dumbarton, she would provide a weighty presence in the role.

No 36,

Scan the LPoWiS benches in Holyrood and you'll struggle to find anyone with the gravitas to take this role on - and, for the avoidance of doubt, gravitas does not include human body weight!!

'27. At 17:45pm on 22nd Mar 2011, soosider wrote:
Watched FMQ, afraid it was just the usual as regards IG, snarling accusing and firmly put in his place by AS.
There is definitely a theme in the "not much to choose between Labour and the SNP, well I beg to differ, there is a world of difference between a party that has consistently fought to better Scotland and the party that have come very late to some of the more helpful policies. Last minute u turns do not build a sense of competence nor of integrity, can we belive that a party that has made such dramatic last minute changes to policies are absolutely committed to them?
So the campaign officially starts, we have Labour slightly ahead in the polls, offering not a lot of difference in policies. We have the SNP having made a reasonable fist of there first ever term in Government. It is the area of competence and integrity that this election should be fought.'

Watched as well, and I'll predict that, throughout the campaign, the LPoWiS campaign will falter and falter, and THE GOOD PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND WILL RE-ELECT THE FINEST GOVERNMENT THEY HAVE HAD IN THE HISTORY OF DEVOLUTION!!

35. reincarnation wrote:
"Let's hope that Scots voters reelect an honest one."
Well, that reduces the choice right away!

Regarding the next PO - I'd vote for Malcolm Chisolm - the only labour member I'd trust to have some integrity.

#35 reincarnation

Fair enough, but perhaps it would have been clearer had you written "we will have a government purporting to be social democrats".

"There have been some really bad social democrat governments in many countries! Let's hope that Scots voters reelect an honest one."
There certainly have, and I agree with your sentiment.

The BBC blog changes "under the hood" seem fairly extensive and italics are no longer supported. If I can find one of the increasingly rare "open posts", I'll do some testing and report to all when I can.

I'm afraid Gray consistently demonstrates that he's no statesman but sneering, visionless and grossly inexperienced and with nothing new to offer the people of Scotland.

I would be most disappointed with Scotland if Labour win.

Anyway,

COME ON, BRECHIN CITY!!!!!!!!

I wonder if any readers can link me to articles where Labour prophesised that if the SNP were elected in 20007 it would cost every family in Scotland 5000 pound. It appeared in all the Scottish papers but I can't seem to find any reference to it now.
Kiwi Mike

#44 Mike

https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1652764.ece

labour just have a total mob mentality and a serious chip on their shoulder. on the occassions that i've been helping out at the polling stations labour helpers would just cluster together in their own little group whereas myself and the liberal, independent and conservative helpers were all very nice and talked to each other. i see the labour group at holyrood as the same. just a group of loud mouth numpties and harpies screaming nonsense.

46.
They remind me of a tribe of chimpanzees, but not as civil.

45. cheesed_off:
“Labour has tried to point out that the SNP comes with policies which, Labour claims, could cost every Scottish household an extra £5,000 a year and that the Nationalists’ plan for a local income tax is undermined by a financial funding gap.”

Thanks for that.
How was their prediction
Kiwi Mike

Was not grey sounding outrageously desperate today, shouting like someone possessed. Does he really think that makes him look like a leader, rather than the joker that he is !

Please let us be heading toward another SNP term. If Labour get in then Scotland is likely to suffer even more than it did under Thatcher. It would do Labour some good not to win as well. Under Gray they appear to have lost any vision they might once have had.

"Labour's Iain Gray offered us one theme for his election campaign, accusing the SNP of abandoning key pledges from their manifesto... "

If the best rebuttal of SNP policies that the Man I[ai]n Gray can manage is to criticise what the outgoing Government DIDN'T push through, rather than any comment related to what Wee Eck's Team HAS managed to achieve via a minority administration, then Labour really is doomed!

I infer that we can also look forward to the Labour grouping offering support for ALL of the policies of the largest party grouping when Holyrood reconvenes; if nothing else, abstaining on all issues would offer the SNP enough rope to hand either themselves of their opponents....

In 1999 and 2003, Labour were a shoo-in to form the administration, so the electorate were free to vote for all manner of weird and wonderful parties - Greens, SSP, Pensioners Paty (or whatever it was called) - without influencing the makeup of the administration.

In 2007, Wee Eck's return offered the Scottish people a real choice of Government - so long as the also-rans didn't do backroom deals, it would be a straight fight between Labour and SNP and every vote (and every MSP) would matter. No surprise that the electorate took the matter somewhat more seriously so that only three were not members of the Big Four parties.

In 2011, it is arguably even more important - with a bit of luck, only three parties will be represented (Ta-ta, Tavish) - and, whether a supporter of independence or not, I hope that all will (i) vote; and (ii) put the interests of Scotland first.

It is a measure of the man that Iain Gray didn't even acknowledge, never mind welcome, the jobs/investment announcement at Doosan Babcock made by the First Minister. Make NO mistake Iain Gray is a buffoon who would be a total and utter embarrassment to Scotland if he was ever elected First Minister. However I think even Tory and Lib Dem voters recognise this enough that there will be quite a few of them tactically voting SNP to keep him out come May.

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1. At 16:25pm on 22nd Mar 2011, Colin wrote:

Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting.

If he is...it is in spite of his quite herculean efforts to the contrary.

1. At 16:25pm on 22nd Mar 2011, Colin wrote:

Iain Gray has shown yet again that he's the FM in waiting.



I would place him above derekbarker in terms of suitability to achieve that status, but not very many places above....

To me it sure does look like Elmer is a very angry man, among other things. Maybe things are not going as well as some in the media would have us believe. His recent performances though have shown that he is not a fit person to represent this country.

collin your my mascot

"Labour's Iain Gray accus[ed] the SNP of abandoning key pledges from their manifesto such as the "crazy" local income tax, the abolition of student debt - and the referendum on independence. "


The craziest election 'pledge' in the upcoming election will be the unexpressed threat from Labour: Vote Labour, Get Gray as FM!

Oh, the horror,.....

Be warned.
If labour are elected to govern in May the U-turn policies they have recently adopted will be dropped, and "Scottish' Labour will quickly fall in line with UK Labour policies This will mean nuclear power stations in Scotland to provide power to England. UK military policy. Alignment of the Scottish NHS with England, meaning PRIVATISATION. If that is what you want so be it. But no spilled milk crying please.

Grey and his Labour chums caught out again
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2189455

jack mconnell
self government has encouraged more scots to walk a little taller,
cringe a little less and have idea,s above their station

this remark should be directed at iain gray and mconnells own party.
as salmond and his party are a stand up team not knuckle draggers.
when you consider it we dont have [self government] yet maybe when we dont cringe and have been totaly asset stripped labour might come around to full autonomy for scotland.

Its odd, or maybe not, that colin and mikegringo start the last few blogs with direct advertising for Ian Grey. No discussion, just advertising, and in fact a repeat posting from earlier blogs.

I guess they are only on slogan delivery rather than creation.

Colin @ No.1:-

Are you the Colin that they sing about in that song? Y' know, One for Colin, Never Will. Is Willie your mate? Is the song about Iain Gray's chances of becoming First minister?

That was some nifty editing of FMQs on Reporting Scotland, Brian. we got to hear Mr Gray's question but not Mr Salmond's answer, in fact you made him look a little smug.
Did you think we hadn't watched the whole thing? Did you think we wouldn't notice?

#19

"Even if they win I hope Labour MSPs will elect a new leader because I just do not think Iain Gray is a man who can represent Scotland. "

That's not his job. His job is to undermine Scotland on behalf of Westminster.

#36

"
It's definitely Lab's turn to provide the PO, and they will have a rough time from all the other parties if they don't."

Can anybody think of any current Labour MSP with the ability to be PO? I can't.

67. At 22:34pm on 22nd Mar 2011, fairliered
"Can anybody think of any current Labour MSP with the ability to be PO? I can't."
One.
Malcolm Chisolm.

I hope the Labour no-brainers get dragged through the hedge backwards for their negativity and sleeze, as a political party and individuals they have disgraced themselves, turning the Scottish Parliament into a shouting match. If this country has any dignity at all SNP will be warmly welcomed back. Gray-man...bye bye.

#69, at the very least, if we must suffer a labour victory in 7 weeks time, lets hope the grayman loses his seat, which would be a very definate silver lining.

I rather liked the comment too that self-government had encouraged "more Scots to walk a little taller, cringe a little less and have ideas above their station." Aye Lord Jack... "The best wee country in the world eh"? CRINGE!!!!!!!!!

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Brian, Can you accept constructive criticism? You report on FMQs that I haven't seen, and perhaps many many more people too, so what value can be placed on your observation of the proceedings? Why not provide an unedited recording of FMQs, and follow on with your analysis? Bloggers can then assess your analysis against the "real time" recording of FMQs

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Ian Grey...elected leader...leading Scotland to victory...his eyes fixed firmly on the horizon...our future in his hands...a time of charisma and excitement...a people poised to be launched into a time of hope and plenty...

...or a country off to bed with a cup of cocoa.

nite nite a'body

I see that my post at 54 has been referred. I can't work out why.

I tried to say that we should all be wary of people trotting out the 'there is now no difference between Labour and SNP' line. There are BIG differences - and my post tried to list some.

What are the nats on here like? Massive whiffs, great gulpfuls of desperation. Being accused of snarling by nats is like being called ugly by frogs! To accuse anyone of being smugger, or angrier than Salmond is clearly impossible. Gray is not angry - he lacks the energy for that.
Everyone else is irrelevant.

Salmond may have popularity and charisma, but like all populist charismatic charlatens he has equal unpopularity and significant quantities of downright loathing.

As regards policies - neither party has any that will make a significant difference. The SNP will protect the middle classes as they are basically tories you can vote for- and the Labour party will protect the middle classes as they are basically a bunch of fearties.

Jeez oh....you have to be quick off the draw in this blogg. So oor captains of politics have just left the blocks, so what other inspiring pledges will we see from the GRC (Glorified Regional Council) It was interesting to listen on the radio to the current FM saying farewell to a previous FM , you ken the latter yin that rarely visits or phones constituents. He's reached that part of utopia that could only be a pipe dream if he remained on a humble teachers salary! So I'm hoping that May will be abound with the mother of all tactical voting, that will see BELLA (why do I cringe when I say that name?) and her bestest buddies the DEM part of the CONDEMS get obliterated. Those that can bring this about don't have to go for the TARTANS or the REDS, there are independants or raving looney versions!

#77 - "Gray is not angry - he lacks the energy for that. "

Yet he can be seen foaming at the mouth during most FMQs. What your excuse for that, rabies?

#77. At 08:01am on 23rd Mar 2011, The Ice Man wrote:

'The SNP will protect the middle classes as they are basically tories you can vote for- and the Labour party will protect the middle classes as they are basically a bunch of fearties.'

Hmm.
SNP, the party against nuclear weapons, nuclear power, the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, PFIs, privatisation of water, paid-for education, locking up as many criminals as possible.
Labour (UK and its Scottish sub-branch), for all of these things.

Remind me who the Tories you can vote for are again?

#77 iceman, morning, your observation about Alec Salmond is true . there is no middle ground you either like him or hate him.

on policy's, of the 2 party's likely to be the next government 1 has policy's the other doesn't know whether it's new york or new year.

As I read yesterday, somewhere, it would appear that an awful lot of people will vote for the SNP in this election because of their record in power BUT they would not necessarily vote for Independence at this point .

A good few of us see full fiscal autonomy as the next step but are realistic enough to understand that the unionists ain't going to lie down and rollover.

AND FINALLY

Labour gave up protecting anyone except bankers and big business a long time ago.
tackling poverty ,child poverty and supporting those who need help has been in EVERY labour party manifestos for over a century and they never delivered!
Any time they might even have a whiff of doing something about it ,invading other country's suddenly becomes more important!
Sid

I'd previously decided that when partly retire I'd stay in Scotland and work both on pet projects as well as doing some part time work helping SMEs.

However, if Labour win at Hollyrood I think I'll revert to plan B and move to France.

There would be no point in helping SMEs here because of course we all know that Labour hates success.

The attitude of Labour towards the Scottish Government still astounds me. I know and appreciate that one of the aims of an opposition party is to keep a government honest through rigorous debate and pointing out failings. When those perceived failings, though, are as a direct result of opposition party politicking, I start to get a bit dubious about the opposition's real intent.
Take just two of the alleged failed deliveries of the SNP government as highlighted by Iain Gray: LIT and the independence referendum.
Both of these were failures as a DIRECT result of Labour (UK) party politics being put ahead of their responsibility to assist in the governing of the country (Scotland). Had they participated in grown up debates we could all look and see the value of their contribution. Alas they did not and we are left wondering whether they really have the interests of Scotland at heart or if their existence at Holyrood is just a Labour vehicle to have continuous Westminster election campaigning in Scotland.

The complete lack of any adult debate on the independence referendum and the resulting inference that the people of Scotland are not to be trusted to make their minds up is staggering and contemptable (or worse, the inference that they, the Labour Party can confidently speak for us without asking us what we think).

That, added to the utterly irresponsible and two-faced attitude towards minimum unit pricing for alcohol and the 5 (at least) decades of Labour inability to further the interests of Scotland in any way, must lead people to regard Labour with suspicion at least.

I know it'll be a cold day in hell when I vote Labour in Scotland.

#77 The Ice Man
"Gray is not angry - he lacks the energy for that.
Everyone else is irrelevant. "
Was that a typo that should have read "Gray is irrelevent."? He is most certainly irrelevent to the needs of Scotland.
It's a bit rich for a Mathematician to say he can freezer council tax at 2007 levels until 2014, while in 2007,2008, 2009, and 2010 he was saying they had to rise. He's effectively saying that he'd have over-taxed people and taken money he didn't need. Is that not theft?

jack mconnell
self government has encouraged more scots to walk a little taller,
cringe a little less and have idea,s above their station


And he'll look just dandy in that kilt and a dod of ermine!

82. Wee-Scamp wrote:
"Labour hates success."
Unless of course it's one of their own that is successful. Usually at the taxpayers expense.

#83 PeeJay

An excellent post except for your: "Alas they did not and we are left wondering whether they really have the interests of Scotland at heart or if their existence at Holyrood is just a Labour vehicle to have continuous Westminster election campaigning in Scotland."

It's pretty clear that there is little need for wondering!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Which prigramme was Jackie Baillie on last night, I could have a look at it on the interweb thingy.

#83 peejay
well said pj i hope your clear thinking shines a light for those scots who are lost in the dark.

#90 rouser

Available on i-player here

https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00zq3bs/The_Big_Debate_Living_Longer/

Brian, Reference my comment no73 on posting FMQs here. BBC last night reported a clip of FMQs, showing Ian Grey asking a question, but omitting to show Alex Salmon's reply. Now that is what I would describe as dirty tricks. Why oh why would the BBC indulge in that?

Fortjean Jo - "There is one area (other than independence) where labour and the nats still differ and that's energy policy."

Energy policy is I think one area where the SNP has got it badly wrong. We have signed up to some of the strictest climate change targets in the world which have to be met by 2020, but we have no way of meeting them! Carbon storage technology is still some way into the future and we can't rely solely on renewable energy to meet our needs. You just have to look at how effective our wind farms were in December when energy use went through the roof but there was almost no wind to generate power. Althought the new tidal plant announced recently is good news, I don't think it will do enough to make up the shortfall. Ironically, SNP policies will mean that in the future we may have to import power from England!

Current events in Japan may have influenced people's views on nuclear power but I still feel that we will need nuclear back up to meet our energy targets. We will not have a 9.0 earthquake here, and nuclear power plants have become a lot more efficient since the one in Japan built in the 1960s. France and Sweden for example have been using nuclear power for decades without incident. By ruling out nuclear and setting such tough targets the SNP have put us in a difficult position and I don't think they are being realistic.

Another budget where Scotlands resources and people are plundered. A rise in the taxes on Scotland's oil being stolen by London. A rise across a raft of taxes. Scotland produces a tax surplus while England runs at a deficit. Our taxes being plundered to bail them out of the mess they have made. When are we going to get a budget in Scotland for Scotland set by Scottish Ministers putting Scotland's interests first not London's? We need control over our resources and economy not to give them away to a neighbouring country that squanders it and gives us nothing back.

Can Labour still be called the Working Mans Party as it is dominated by public school boys who have never done a normal days work?

#93: Edinchris -

"Ironically, SNP policies will mean that in the future we may have to import power from England!"

I'd like to see your evidence to support this because my immediate reaction is that you're talking utter rubbish.

Why do decriers of Scotland's renewables agenda always neglest to mention that Scotland has been generating clean, renewable electricity since the 1950's - what else do you think hydro-electricity is?

From Wikipedia (entry on Tom Johnston) - "In the three decades following the Second World War, the Hydro Board's teams of planners, engineers, architects and labourers succeeded in creating an epic succession of electricity generation and distribution schemes that were world-renowned not only for successfully achieving their technical aims in very demanding terrain but for often doing so in an aesthetically-inspiring manner. The economic and social benefits thus brought to all the people of Scotland, and especially those in rural areas, were immense and longlasting."

So, we've been world leaders in renewable enegy in the past - why would you say we can't be again? In the past we were 'Jock Tamson's bairns' - in the future, we'll be 'Tam Johnston's bairns' and we'll all be richer, safer and healthier because of it.

The simple fact is that the SNP are in a no-lose situation come May. If they [SNP] lose the election, Labour will not be able to work with the Con-Dem administration and the Con-Dems will ravage Scotland while attacking NorthBritLabour. If the SNP win ...well then they win and will help protect Scottish interests for the next term.

The choice is between SNP and Nu-Old-whatever-Lab for the next 4 years, but the SNP will be in office, If not the coming term, certainly the one after... but quite feasibly both!

"Althought the new tidal plant announced recently is good news, I don't think it will do enough to make up the shortfall. Ironically, SNP policies will mean that in the future we may have to import power from England!"

Utter tosh there is no shortfall and the projection is for surplus for export. Why the need to resort to lying in your comments?

93. At 13:37pm on 23rd Mar 2011, edinchris wrote:
France and Sweden for example have been using nuclear power for decades without incident.

https://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=6903

https://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8503526-last-year-more-than-1000-nuclear-incidents-in-france

The Nuclear industry is tied to the military and as such truth is kept hidden for as long as possible.

97. At 14:19pm on 23rd Mar 2011, Alba4eva wrote:
'The simple fact is that the SNP are in a no-lose situation come May. If they [SNP] lose the election, Labour will not be able to work with the Con-Dem administration and the Con-Dems will ravage Scotland while attacking NorthBritLabour. If the SNP win ...well then they win and will help protect Scottish interests for the next term.

The choice is between SNP and Nu-Old-whatever-Lab for the next 4 years, but the SNP will be in office, If not the coming term, certainly the one after... but quite feasibly both!'

I agree with most of what you are saying, but your final paragraph just chokes me!!

That position is not to be tolerated!

I did some penance the other day - I watched the Holyrood broadcast live when Charlie Gordon was at the podium, apparently giving a never-ending report on those MSPs who had sat on the Transport Committee, which he chairs, over these past few years.

Cringeworthy does not even begin to describe it. I should not be surprised as he was a leading WAG at the time of the non-leadership campaign that brought weebendywendy to head up the Labour Party of Westminster in Scotland. For the avoidance of doubt the other WAG was David Whitton.

To think for a minute that the people of my beloved country should be governed by the weegreyman, Gordon, Whitton, Baillie, Kerr, MacNeill, Whitefield, etc, etc, is just not to be contemplated.

The SNP Government MUST be returned to power - and with increased representation!