Not The Right Stuff

Alex Salmond likes to think of himself as a Prime Minister in waiting, a statesman and someone we should look up to as Scotland's leader on the world stage. Then he goes and spoils it all by being crass and frankly tasteless. At a press conference in Glasgow East, televised by Channel 4 news this evening, he held up a card on which was a picture of Gordon Brown and Margaret Thatcher. He waved it around saying. "What were they discussing, Mrs Thatcher's state funeral?" 

Now whatever the rights and wrongs of granting the former Prime Minister such an honour - and I'm not sure it should have been given - Alex Salmond shows himself as both petty and petulant. That is not the sort of thing someone in his position should say. It shows him up for the rather annoying self congratulatory politician that I've always felt he is. Leaders rise above such things and however hard he tries Mr Salmond will always come over as both smug and supercilious. 

Wendy Alexander, Clinging To The Wreckage

Wendy Alexander would probably deny that she's clinging to the wreckage but that's certainly what it feels like. Her ability to hang on in is in reality no ability at all. Laying low and not facing either her colleagues in Holyrood or a full on press conference means that it's no great feat. The fact is she can do little else as she must be 'under orders' from Westminster because, as almost every commentator has pointed out, if she goes so does Harriet Harmen. Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life has said it is surprising that somebody of WA's experience had run foul of the regulations and "clearly wasn't aware of the detailed rules". Meanwhile the press in Scotland have, I think, given her a relatively soft ride. Is it because they fear the alternatives? The fact is it seems that WA is the best the Labour have to offer, the one most likely to give the SNP a run for their money. However, if this goes on very much longer even with the public's short memories it could send Scottish Labour into the dark ages. With no effective Tory or Lib Dem opposition Scotland seems doomed to an SNP hell bent on independence.

Surely We're Not That Bad?

So we have Wee Wendy accepting illegal campaign donations and thanking the guy in a personal letter while for a while saying she knew nothing about it. Add to that our beloved first minister calling Tony Blair's family "revolting." And these are the people who want to lead us? They expect our respect when truth is they are no better than some of the worst of the contestants on Dragon's Den. It's popular to say that the electorate gets the politicians it deserves, but surely we are not that bad?

Free - Politicians Favourite Four Letter Word

As the old joke goes, "Free Nelson Mandela." "How much does he usually cost?" Boom, Boom.

Well after the new SNP budget it seems the 'Free' has become their favourite four-letter word. Not that they are alone, Labour were just the same. With them it was free eye tests, free bus travel for pensioners and now the SNP are offering us free prescriptions. Now I'm not saying that everything that is free is a bad idea; I can go along with the free bus travel. However, the eye tests and the prescriptions are a joke. Let's by all means not charge those who have limited means but why make it free for everyone? The simple fact is that giving these kind of handouts grabs headlines and appears to show that the government is doing good things. The other side of the coin is, can we really afford it? The cost of free bus travel is bigger than the Executive's budget for culture and sport. I'm not certain how much it is costing to give us free prescriptions but why not instead use that money for sport to improve the overall health of the nation? Money spent up front could save vastly more later. Of course with the short term thinking employed by politicians that's not seen as a vote winner and so it's never likely to happen

Salmond's Red Herrings

According to Scotland on Sunday Alex Salmond has launched ‘an audacious bid’ for Scotland to take part in talks at the UN aimed at ending the nuclear age. The First Minister has written to representatives of the 189 countries who have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - including Iran and Zimbabwe - declaring his aim for the SNP administration to be involved in future discussions. Last night, UK ministers reacted with incredulity, accusing him of ‘undermining Britain's foreign policy and making common cause with nations hostile to British interests’.

Here we go again, more red herrings from the Salmond. This whole thing is becoming a game designed to position the SNP as the champion of all causes likely to win votes. If only life and politics was so simple.

Naturally the rhetoric from the Labour government has already started accusing the FM of failing to deal with bread and butter issues. It’s all rather like the LibDems who are able to tilt at any windmills of their choosing without facing the consequences of delivering. The problem for Scotland is we need the SNP to deliver on practical matters and so far nothing of too much substance has happened.

Methinks that this tactic will continue throughout the life of this parliament and at some point Salmond will pick a fight, of his choosing, and then cause an election which will see the SNP make substantial gains against Labour. I remain skeptical about an independent Scotland but I see it as ever more likely that the SNP could gain a majority in Holyrood next time around. Of course that’s still a lot different from a majority wanting independence. The key question will always be how will any referendum be shaped and how will those who don’t want independence feel.

Hypocrisy Watch No.5

Morgan Stanley, the investment bank with a £354 billion under management and 58,000 employees, is being given £6 million to help it expand its operations in Scotland. No not in some less well off area, like the Borders, but in Glasgow! They already employs 770 staff in the city, but now it intends to take on a further 600 employees.

Alex Salmond has got in on the act and praised Morgan Stanley's commitment to Glasgow and insisted that the potential for further growth in Scotland's financial services sector was huge. Yes, of course it is but why give these companies our money?

The £6 million which will be paid to Morgan Stanley has been awarded under the regional selective assistance scheme - effectively giving Morgan Stanley £10,000 per job created. Now I do understand that our economy needs more large businesses located here but this is not the answer. We should be addressing other issues that affect the wider economy.

Ironically, but none too surprisingly the SNP criticized Labour for giving HSBC a million under the scheme last year. It's great to know the hypocrisy is alive and well and the numpties are being sucked into the game.

Welcome to the Pressure Dome

It this morning Scotsman they point out that. “IT WAS, by common consent, a lacklustre campaign dogged by indecision and division. Faced with a slick, professional, fleet-footed Nationalist team, Labour's 2007 Holyrood effort often appeared leaden and flat-footed. The Scottish National Party had finally managed to turn the tables on its arch enemy, out "New Labour-ing" New Labour.” Even so the Labour vote went up in the regional list votes from 561,000 to 595,000 – not bad for a party that is doing so badly in the opinion polls. Blair and Brown would give their political souls for performance like that if they called a snap General election this week.
While it is true what the Scotsman have said it’s also slightly unfair and more than slightly daft. Given that Labour are more unpopular in the polls than they’ve ever been, right across the UK, is it surprising? Added to which it’s not as though the election campaign is all that a party in power is measured on. It is a fact of political life that the incumbent is judged more on their period in power. The advantage of opposition has always been that you are unencumbered by your failures because you are largely free from the burden of delivery. This is what’s dogged the LibDems, they are not really the opposition because they’ve been identified as part of the problem and not the solution.
For the SNP, and two jobs Salmond, life in the in the intense white light of the 24 hour spotlight that is trained on power is just beginning. Commentators were quick to talk of his statesman like demeanor, both yesterday and of late. Once again that’s the easy bit.
Now we can all just it back, relax and enjoy the flight as we watch the SNP deal with the realities of power. Getting there is hard enough and all credit to them for that. Staying there and performing 24/7 is a whole lot different. Unlike opposition there’s nowhere to hide. And while Alex Salmond and the rest of the SNP will be relishing the opportunity they’ll do well to remember that two thirds of the country didn’t vote for them and will be all too quick to remind them.

Charlatans One and All

Don't you just love politicians? Their ability to say one thing while meaning another is unmatched. If indeed they were operating in the corporate world they would find it difficult to maintain their reputations for honesty and fair dealings with colleagues, clients and their customers. The latest to piece of 'bobbing and weaving' comes from the Salomon who has now said that a referendum just on Scottish independence was his "absolute preference", but accepted that it would have to be decided in "negotiations". This of course opens the door to a Lib Dem coalition. Now from both their points of view this is good. The likelihood of the SNP winning an outright majority is slim and Labour is even slimmer so with the Lib Dem charlatans on board the Salmon would become First Minister and Nicker Stephens would be back as his deputy. I wonder how little Nicola feels about that?