Patrick Harvie Proves He's a Twit

I'd not normally bother having a look at the Twitterpades of Green MSP Patrick Harvie, but given the stories of him twittering while sitting at dinner with Gordon Brown, Alex Salmond et al this week I couldn't help myself. There has been general condemnation of Harvie twittering throughout the dinner and it prompted him to write to the Scotsman to say.

"This is the first time in my life that I've been chastised by an 'etiquette guru', whatever that means." In his letter, Mr Harvie suggests that Mr York and other critics were just out of date. "Being only vaguely aware that such people existed, I am very grateful to you (The Scotsman] for securing the services of an etiquette guru to comment on my Twitter habit."

It's bloody obvious that sitting there on such an occasion twiddling with your blackberry, or whatever it is he uses, under the table is just bad manners. His justification of his actions really does make you feel that we are being governed by idiots. His sarcasm towards the notion of an etiquette guru is not unreasonable yet Mr Harvie on his twitter pages asked this question about a month ago.

"Wondering whether it's bad etiquette to post the same update to Facebook and Twitter"

So he's clearly someone who is concerned with etiquette in general. Other twitter entries reveal a man who has some interesting takes on his life and being an MSP as well as his relationship with those that follow him on the social networking site - there are 108 of them.

Trapped on a train next to a fat couple making out.
11:47 AM Apr 2nd from mobile web

Was it a gay or straight couple?

It's twelve o'clock, it's Holyrood, it's the deja vu show!
4:12 AM Mar 26th from mobile web

I thought it was his job. . .

Why the fuck can't this country run trains properly? I know, don't answer...
3:23 PM Mar 19th from mobile web

Most of his comments are pretty predictable fare from a Green MSP, but the idea that they we shall ever have the chance of judging their ability to run the trains is of course never going to be tested. . .thank goodness.

Transport Will Be Green

The Green Party has been given the leadership of the powerful transport committee after a reshuffle of the Scottish Parliament's structure. There are 15 committees five being led by the SNP, five by Labour, two by the Tories, two by the Liberal Democrats and one by the Green Party.

These committees scrutinise legislation and hold the government to account. It is impossible for the SNP to have a majority on most of the committees and therefore the system could be used by opposition parties to push through their own legislation or publish critical reports on the government.

The transport, infrastructure and climate change will be led by Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP. As a fierce critic of new road-building projects and an advocate of public transport. "Members of the committees must strive to work constructively, putting the interests of the country, and, in this case, the planet, before short-term political objectives."

It’s barely credible that the Greens get control of something that they are at odds with just about everybody on. In the election they picked up slightly over 82,000 list votes, 4% of the votes cast and they are going to be in a position of such power. PR in action but not very sensibly!

Are All Experts Green?

There’s a letter in today’s Scotsman from Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP. No wonder we have a problem at the Numptorium, it seems he has trouble reading and understanding.

Patrick Harvie is disingenuous in his claims when he says Bill Jamieson’s view was that "environmental interests have no place in contributing to Scotland's economic development." His point was far more complex and significant. The Council of Economic Advisers that the First Minister wants to set up will have no power over the macro economic scenario and will therefore be largely ineffectual - unless one takes account of its ability to mischief make. Bill Jamieson went on to say that the council that "pits advocates of growth against advocates of lower growth (Greens) is unlikely to come up with unambiguous guidance."

Patrick Harvie says that he is delighted that the First Minister has responded to the Green's suggestion that "his new economic advisory council should include social and environmental expertise." This is an example of were the Greens consistently go wrong. They assume that they are the ones with this expertise; their green is better than everyone else's green.

How Yellow Will The Greens Become?

So the Greens seem to have agreed to go into a coalition with the SNP on the basis of no new nuclear power stations and a massive reduction in carbon emissions. As the SNP were already signed up to that what's the deal? I wonder if little cousin Robin mentioned the M74 expansion and the policy on more direct flights to Scotland that the SNP are in favour of? Maybe he's not even half way up the stairs.

Halfway down the stairs
is a stair
where I sit.
there isn't any
other stair
quite like
it.
I’m not at the bottom,
I’m not at the top;
so this is the stair
where
I always
stop.

Little Cousin Robin

Tavish Scott, the brain (is that true? – Ed) behind the smiling Stephen Nicol, said on the TV today that the Lib Dems wouldn't do a deal with Labour on a coalition, but would entertain the SNP. To be fair they are sticking to their guns (at the moment) on no referendum, Meanwhile the Greens have said there is no barrier to co-operating with Alex Salmond's party and have not ruled out a formal coalition deal. None that is, except the small matter of the SNP not being in favour of onshore windfarms. I suppose now that Shona Baird has lost her seat (she has a wind farm on her family farm that makes her a pretty penny) they maybe able to come to some agreement.

Vote Green - Just As Long As It's Our Shade

Scotland on Sunday today tell us that the Green party has 'decided to rip up its previous plan to stay out of a formal coalition deal, and says it will now enter a pact if enough environmentally friendly policies are on the table.'

This is all we need. If people are worried about on shore wind farms now then they need to become very, very worried if this ever happens. Of course it's indicative of the fact that the Greens are finding they are being squeezed out by the big parties and this is a last ditch attempt to keep themselves in the frame. Let's hope people now appreciate that environmental issues are now firmly on the political table d'hote and we can be rid of these amateur politicians who are little more than one trick ponies.

The Greens Are Being Squeezed - Out?

The Scottish Greens web site opens with a bold statement

With polls suggesting that Greens will play a crucial role in the next parliament, the Scottish Green Party are going into the election looking to build upon their existing seven MSPs.

It’s not quite how the polls see it.

Forecast UK on 28th March suggest the Greens will get 1 seat

The Daily Telegraph/You Gov poll of 30 March suggests ‘other’ parties outside the big four will get 9 seats (this includes Greens, SSP, Tommy Sheriden & Independents)

In the Scotsman on 1 April they predict 4 seats for the Greens

In The Herald on 6 April they predicted the Greens would get just one seat

On 8 April the Mail on Sunday are predicting the ‘other’ parties will share three seats between them.

Given the greening of the majors and the focus that they’ve all placed upon environmental issues it seems to me that the Greens are getting squeezed. Watching their party political broadcast tonight it’s not difficult to see why. It was bland, negative campaigning and like the Labour effort last week it was just boring.

Last year I spoke at a debate on wind turbines in Edinburgh and Shiona Baird was there. She constantly interrupted me while I was speaking and came over as far from rounded – a hint of the zealot - which for me is what lies at the heart of the Green’s problem. It’s difficult to take them seriously on issues outside of their core position.