text: Alan_McGee 2016-05-25T15:03:53-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=alan Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Alan_McGee Good old fashioned elbow grease. Just 100 Days In and It's Clear This Government Doesn't Care tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.7969912 2015-08-11T19:00:00-04:00 2015-08-11T12:59:01-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ To mark 100 days of the first Conservative government in nearly 20 years, HuffPost UK is running 100 Days of Dave, a special series of blog posts from grassroots campaigners to government ministers, single parents to first-year students, reflecting on what's worked and what hasn't, whilst looking for solutions to the problems we still face. Is it 100 days already? A hell of a lot has happened and trying to condense what I have seen may be a Herculean task. But I love a challenge... When you hear safe Labour MPs saying "the longest suicide note in history," implying that any turn to the Left would be suicidal, remember that the phrase was coined by Gerard Kaufman in reference to Labour's 1983 manifesto. Kaufman - one of only 48 Labour MPs to vote against the Welfare Bill - has gone from the right of the Labour Party to the left - not because he's changed his politics, but because the rest of the party has. Labour has become that which it was set up to oppose. And the infighting that followed the General Election and the leadership contests has been farcical. Corbyn is Labour's best hope of salvaging some credibility with the Scottish electorate and enabling Labour to work with the SNP in the Commons against the cruel ideology of this government. The SNP's youngest MP, Mhairi Black, in just an eight-minute maiden address, spoke with sense, conviction, and truth, delivered hope and empathy - and behaved more like the opposition than Labour. More than 11million people have watched her speech online and we could be seeing a First Minister in the making. However, most of the mainstream media have the SNP tagged as the tartan faction of Isis, while the true architects of the break-up of the union are sitting on the government benches, in cahoots with the majority of Her Majesty's Opposition. As a former Labour voter it gives me no pleasure to witness the depths the party has descended to. Have they lost all sense of morality? It looked like Labour has abstained from Westminster and not just on welfare - gutless, mindless, hopeless. The Labour Party cannot have it both ways. If they support the Conservative Budget, they are not the opposition, just a coalition partner with no influence and no voice. You are not elected as a member of parliament to abstain. Indeed, the shadow Scottish secretary was on TV news saying he opposed the Welfare Bill - and then abstained. How can you know the devil's mind? However, BBC Reporting Scotland were not going to question this. The man is clearly out of his depth; he only has the shadow cabinet position because he begged Tory voters in his constituency to vote tactically to stop the nationalist tidal wave. He is adrift on an island like Robinson Crusoe, and the natives are getting restless. The opinion polls show SNP support has increased since the General Election so there will be plenty more Labour heads on poles come the Holyrood vote next year. And the council elections in 2017 should hopefully also bring to an end to more than 80 years of Labour misrule in my home city of Glasgow. So in the first 100 days millions of families will lose more than £1,000 a year and social tenants with two adults on minimum wage face double or triple rent increases in some areas. The new minimum wage is not enough - it will make little difference in the face of these kinds of changes. That is just the first wave of Cameron's new agenda, and it chills me to the marrow. The rabid right of the Conservative government, have now declared war on the Trade Union movement. By attacking ordinary working people the government have laid the seeds of discontent and civil conflict in this country. If this is what happens after just three months, the end of this government term may make Thatcherism seem like a kiddies' tea party - except it won't be much of of a party, as more people will come to rely on food banks, more will be made homeless or die due to austerity, which will increase, more vulnerable and disabled people will be forced to look for work that doesn't exist and the NHS will be further pillaged and stripped of value. Scottish Labour leadership contender Kezia Dugdale has slammed potential Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, so why were you happy to work alongside the Tories during the referendum campaign, but cannot contemplate working with someone from your own party who has been chosen by the Labour membership to stand as leader? David Mundell is irrelevant in Scotland, or would be were we given actual, effective devolvement. He's also a Conservative, so naturally he seeks to undermine the SNP at every opportunity. The decisions on spending made by the Scottish government, not to mention many proposals in the Smith Report, have been completely ignored and trodden all over. The Smith Commission was always a weak compromise. Now, because of Westminster's arrogance, it is an insult to the people of Scotland, No voters included. It's what Westminster does. The SNP is rejecting the policing, health service and educational cuts that will impact on everyone in the UK, and SNP MPs were justified in occupying the official front benches of the opposition in parliament. Any time I have watched debates on the Parliament Channel I have seen a healthy SNP turnout - they are doing their job. In fact a friend told me that his new SNP representative had spoken and contributed more times already in the debating chamber in five weeks than the previous Labour MP had in five years. There are only 48 MPs fit to use the Labour benches, as the rest may as well sit with their chums on the government side. As after all, they have a lot in common. Cameron has no right to stop any future independence referendum as a 10% margin is by no way decisive. When the SNP include a referendum on independence in any future Holyrood manifesto, the people can decide if they want one. One hundred days in and clearly this ideologically right wing government does not care, we are living in one of the richest countries in the world in the 21st Century, and our children are relying on charities for food. It wants to ensure it can blame those in poverty for their predicament. We are heading back to the Victorian idea of the undeserving poor. No good can come from a government and society that relinquishes its responsibility to underprivileged children to charities. All this comes at the same time as welfare benefits are reduced, creating even greater inequalities between the haves and have-nots and making the poor an easy scapegoat, helped by the newspapers and shows like Benefits Street and Life On The Dole. And public services, already at breaking point, will be subject to further cuts. And as I write this the first RBS shares are being flogged off by Gideon at a loss, rich boys looking after their own, what's the bet the share value will rocket once it is no longer owned by the taxpayer? At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask. How do you think Britain has changed since 7 May? Join the @HuffPostUK conversation on Twitter with #100DaysOfDave]]> Don't Blame Scotland, Be Inspired by Scotland tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.7241292 2015-05-08T09:49:36-04:00 2016-05-08T05:59:01-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ The outright arrogance of London Labour has come back to bite them today. Equally, the Union's shoe-horning the wrong brother into the leader's role has failed nationally. Labour elected a transparent figure as party leader in Scotland - a man so preposterous, that he imagined he could march Labour back to political relevance north of the border rather than shepherding them into arguably the greatest election massacre in British political history. The delusion is astounding. The hierarchy haven't realised that Mr Murphy was the problem and was never the answer to Labour's woes in Scotland. Nicola did her job by defeating 10 of the Coalition's 12 MPs in Scotland. Shame Labour proved so weak in England and Wales. Scotland played their part and stood up to be counted. Labour needs to start listening to the people again. Instead, Scottish Labour managed to find someone with even less personality than Ed Miliband, which is really saying something. The fact he has announced he is staying as leader in Scotland should be interesting and even more disastrous - self-serving even in defeat. Scotland has changed forever in the aftermath of last year's referendum, and Labour couldn't see the trees for the dead wood! Had the Labour party retained all of its 41 seats in Scotland we would still be looking at a Tory government. It is Labour's fault the Tories have got back in. A message has been sent to Westminster - not a drip, but by a tidal wave. FPTP magnifies that win dramatically but the SNP support PR. The parties that didn't have now paid the price and have been put to the sword. So where do we stand now? There has never been representation of Scotland like this in Westminster. The PM, if he is serious about saving the Union, now has to concede to Scotland. Does Mr Cameron even have a mandate? Scotland now has to be approached with courtesy and integrity, and unlike the tone of the campaign, bridges have to be repaired. The powers offered after the referendum must be examined, then replaced by something more substantial and ambitious. Constructive discussions now have to be implemented. A federal model might be the only way to keep the Union together now. Lab/Con/Lib have been reckless with the Union they say they hold dear. What's left of Labour in Scotland are now squeaking that the SNP has stolen their identity, passing off Labour's policies and history as its own - proof that they still don't get it! No wonder they have just received a gubbing all over Scotland! Scotland has spoken. Cameron's majority is now as thin as the gable end of a pound note, and this will be exploited, as the SNP will never vote with the Conservatives. Rebels on his own benches, or any snap by elections could have devastating consequences. The Balance of Tory/ Anti Tory in the house is now very slight, as I can't see the Lib Dems now siding with Cameron. And UKIP defections if he fudges on an EU referendum could still be a possibility. As the newly elected Member of Parliament for Gordon stated after election, "It is an extraordinary statement of intent from the people of Scotland. The Scottish Lion has roared this morning across the country." If Labour had stood for anti austerity, the removal vans would been arriving at Number10 right now...]]> Vote SNP to Ensure Scotland's Voice Is Finally Heard tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.7205610 2015-05-04T19:00:00-04:00 2016-05-04T05:12:01-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ The list below includes every Scottish Labour MP who voted to reduce the benefit caps and continue austerity, juxtaposed with the amount they claimed in expenses during this parliamentary term. If you are undecided take a good look at those figures - they are all for austerity, but not for themselves. The SNP want to put an end to these swingeing cuts that are harming the most vulnerable in our society. This lot should have spent the last five years voting against the Tories - not with them! Jim Murphy is also included in this list, though he didn't bother turning up. Obviously playing football was more important to this "man of the people". A quarter of Scotland's Labour MPs, including Jim Murphy, didn't even bother turning up to vote against the bedroom tax in 2013, in a motion raised by their own party. Murphy and Gordon Brown should venture into Easterhouse, Castlemilk, Drumchapel or Pollok, and explain to the impoverished why giving £300billion in oil and gas revenue to London has improved their lives. Labour have fought their campaigns on negativity and stage-managed closed-doors events for media and activists only. Meanwhile, the SNP have been engaging with the people of Scotland. Murphy as leader has done nothing except show that Johann Lamont's complaint of being run like "a branch office of a party based in London" was entirely justified. Don't make the mistake of past elections and send down the usual Labour 'feeble fifty'. It's time for a change, Scotland. Scottish Labour MPs voting with the UK Government on further cuts: Figures via mpreportcard.co.uk Douglas Alexander (Paisley & Renfrewshire North) - £266,079 Willie Bain (Glasgow North East) - £342,724 Gordon Banks (Ochil & South Perthshire) - £372,536 Anne Begg (Aberdeen South) - £363,032 Russell Brown (Dumfries & Galloway) - £335,960 Michael Connarty (Linlithgow & East Falkirk) - £339,611 Iain Davidson ( Glasgow South West) - £296,901 Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline & West Fife) - £390,919 Brian Donohoe (Central Ayshire) - £349,207 Frank Doran (Aberdeen North) - £362,875 Gemma Doyle ( West Dunbartonshire) - £238,688 Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen & Hamilton West) - £385,399 David Hamilton (Midlothian) - £292,444 Tom Harris (Glasgow South) -£352,865 Jimmy Hood (Lanark & Hamilton East) - £259,614 Cathy Jamieson ( Kilmarnock & Loudoun) - £337,571 Iain MacKenzie (Inverclyde) - £289,449 Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Stathaven & Lesmahagow) - £367,255 Gregg McClymont (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch) - £303,767 Anne McGuire (Stirling) -£344,035 Graham Morrice (Livingston) - £309,497 Iain Murray (Edinburgh South) - £360,778 Pamela Nash (Airdrie & Shotts) - £340,786 Fiona O'Donnell (East Lothian) - £337,786 John Robertson ( Glasgow North West) - £272,705 Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw) - £328,769 Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central) - £369,85 Total - £9,271,890 Three notable abstainees: Gordon Brown (Kirkaldy & Cowdenbeath) - £253,365 Alistair Darling (Edinburgh South West) - £285,341 Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire) - £440,677 Total - £979,383 Grand total - £10,251,273 The end is nigh for Labour and it's all their own fault, through failure to engage, failure to listen and a basic failure to understand the human condition. That's what happens when you pursue power and wealth for selfish gain. Labour introduced the Bedroom Tax in the UK, and the Tories expanded it with devastating consequences. The SNP have paid this unjust levy for those who can ill afford it. You can vote for a Labour Party stuck in the past, or for a future with SNP. Even though these are the final days before the General Election, only one party has focused on fictitious referendums. This is not a vote for another independence referendum - only one party is coughing on about this, and that is Scottish Labour. Not so much of a roar but a death-bed rattle. No seat won by the SNP from Labour can help Cameron in any way. But will help Scotland. If the SNP hold the balance on 8 May between a progressive alliance government and letting the Tories back in, and Labour turn their backs, then Scotland and the UK will NEVER forgive them. The most significant soundbite of the election campaign was delivered by Nicola Sturgeon to Ed Miliband at the last debate: "We have a chance to kick David Cameron out of Downing Street, don't turn your back on it." Many in Scotland will resent the attitude from Westminster that their vote is not as legitimate as voting for one of the 'main three'. Labour's new argument that the SNP bluff has been called is a fallacy. Ed blusters he will not work with the SNP, and accuses them of threatening to bring a Labour minority Government down. Doesn't work. He's just kissed Scottish seats goodbye, by indicating they are no more than collateral damage. Keir Hardie and John Maclean would be turning in their graves. Blue is showing through the red facade. Don't switch your vote - this is what they want. Miliband is the one who is bluffing -probably at the behest of Murphy, currently in charge of Labour's Scottish branch office. He will find a formula to renege on this if the numbers fall as the pollsters predict. Usually in a general election, the SNP and Scotland would be ignored by the London-centric media. Not this time - the polls have seen to that. Now we need to make it a reality on 7 May, so that Scotland is not ignored again. Labour has abused and used Scotland as their own fiefdom since 1945. It's payback time, and their fervour to exclude the voice of Scotland from the democratic process will backfire on them all. Miliband will get down on his knees when he can't have the keys to No 10 unless he does a deal with Nicola. Every time Miliband attacks the SNP he undermines the idea that he is part of Labour's radical tradition. Meanwhile Murphy is sending a letter to pensioners scaring them over their pensions again. And Labour canvassers are also telling disabled people that they will lose their DLA if the SNP win, low and underhand. Let's ensure that Scotland is never again taken for granted or marginalised at Westminster. Vote SNP on 7 May to ensure that Scotland's voice is finally heard. We can deliver real change.]]> Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP Have the Establishment in Fear tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.7004640 2015-04-05T19:00:00-04:00 2015-06-05T05:59:01-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ But now the mainstream media have tried to discredit the First Minister directly. Twitter is on fire because of a Telegraph article that claims Nicola Sturgeon told a senior French diplomat that she would prefer to have David Cameron as Prime Minister, rather than Ed Miliband. There's only one wee snag. It isn't true, as Scotland's First Minster would have told the Telegraph, if they had followed journalistic standard procedure and asked her prior to publishing. But why let the truth get in the way of a good story? This is the same newspaper that "discovered" files that had George Galloway being paid by Iraq in the oil for food scandal, and accused him of being a traitor. So they have a track record in all of this. It is funny how they had time to get quotes from Scottish Labour High Heid yins for this "exclusive", but nothing from Nicola herself. Even the French Consul General has stated that this statement was not made by the First Minister. April Fool's day was on Wednesday. This smear is knee jerk journalism because of Nicola's assured performance in the debate. Seeing the Labour Party slavering over a story in the Daily Telegraph is yet more proof that there is no difference between them or the Conservative Party these days. James Cook, of the BBC, confirmed that this is a lie because he checked the sources of the story, unlike the Daily Telegraph. I think rather than being a major embarrassment for Ms. Sturgeon that this backfired entirely and became a major front page embarrassment for the Telegraph. Nicola was absolutely right about the damage to the British economy done by austerity and its band of followers. A large number of English, Welsh and Northern Irish voters realize that, as well as those in Scotland who support the SNP. Now that Sturgeon is seen by the public as a highly credible player, the public will see a Labour/SNP alliance as much less of a problem than the Tories would prefer. Last week people outside of Scotland might not have known who Nicola Sturgeon was. Now, plenty of them want her as their Prime Minister! A progressive alliance with the SNP at its core can benefit not just Scotland, but all the disaffected of the UK.]]> Labour in Scotland Have Always Put Westminster's Wants Above Scotland's Needs tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.6676212 2015-02-12T19:00:00-05:00 2015-04-14T05:59:01-04:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ "Offer the Scots more of the same and they will acquiesce," is the Labour mantra these days. They really do think that most of the electorate will suffer from collective amnesia or dementia this May in that polling booth, or that Scotland will be suckered again by the propaganda peddled by the mainstream medai. The glorious new Scottish Labour leader has more heads than Wurzel Gummidge, and if anyone is fooled by the Scotland top and calm measured mannerisms then they really need help. So reading yesterday that Labour have HALVED the SNP's lead in a WEEK, left me choking on my toast. I mean, this statement has more spin than a rotary clothes drier in a force ten gale. Anyways, it's an undated TNS poll of 1,006 people compared to Ashcroft's poll of 16000, Curtice's poll of polls, which includes these figures, still shows SNP with a 20% lead. The SNP stuck to their promises and delivered their commitments. The Labour party never had any intention of honouring theirs; they will promise anything to get back into power. All SLab do now is kowtow and toe the line with direct orders from London HQ. Almost every Tory government policy that has caused such misery, and heartache and despair for the poor, sick, disabled and disadvantaged of this country, SLab have supported them. If Scotland votes Labour it will only benefit Labour. Labour have objected to many of the social policies of the SNP because they have an agenda to crush the SNP, and this is now more important than making the lives of ordinary people in Scotland any better: The SNP have done a better job in Holyrood than Labour. The new leader of SLab can't even sit in Holyrood, and still states that Labour will not be controlled by Westminster, and now pledges to fight for social justice for the poor and downtrodden of Scotland. He could have done that at any time in the last 15 years he has been a Westminster MP, so why now? The Irn Bru crate tour of Scotland was a calculated tactic not to save the Union, but to feather his own nest and take the poisoned chalice that is the leader of Scottish Labour. I'm sure there are plenty who saw through Murphy's barefaced ambition and ridiculous exaggeration and spin. Labour have failed to learn the lessons of the referendum and the previous two Holyrood elections, and in doing so they are depriving millions of Scots of any real hope of change. Saying they are "sorry" and "have changed", just doesn't cut it any more. They are DESPERATE and RUNNING SCARED. Just go for a walk through the leafy and prosperous suburbs of the West End of Glasgow and all seems very cosy indeed, but head further down Great Western Road and you come to one of the many housing schemes. Drumchapel has long been a Labour stronghold and is home to some of the most appalling poverty and deprivation you will ever see. It did also once have a decent MP in the shape of the ex-first minister Donald Dewar, who at least used to be seen out and about in the area and did indeed campaign and do his best for his constituents. But sadly, the values of Labour seem to have died with Mr Dewar. A friend of mine lives in this scheme and asked his MP why he voted to continue the austerity policies. He did receive a reply, that stated it was a vote to "balance the books." I am sure that will assuage the hunger of all those people that have to rely on handouts from food banks while the Red Tory leader claims expenses for two cans of Irn Bru. The real brass-necked arrogance of Labour in Scotland was displayed a few days later: someone on social media from Ayrshire has posted the reply they received from their MP asking the same question and received the EXACT SAME letter in response. Cut and paste politics is all that Labour feel that Scotland is now worth. However, they are to be applauded on their environmental stance, as most of their policies seem to be recycled from the SNP. There is only a recovery if you have money in your pockets. If you or a member of your family are struggling to make ends meet and need to resort to a food bank, or being penalised for having a spare room because you cannot get a smaller house, then why would you vote for a party that has said it will continue austerity, misery and despair for the most vulnerable in our society? Remember, Labour is the party that voted AGAINST primary schoolchildren receiving a free hot meal every day. So what are the Labour MPs doing? They must have a lot of time on their hands, when they aren't abstaining from voting on issues that matter. We are now wise to their deception and lies, as every single vote is indeed scrutinized, to see if they could even be bothered to show face; that's what they are paid for after all. The key for SNP now is getting out on the streets and informing old school dyed-in-the-wool Labour supporters just what the parties now stand for and who is going to represent them. A lot of the electorate will still cling to the old adage of "my family always voted Labour, and so oo I no matter what". The likes of John McClean, Manny Shinwell and Keir Hardie, great Scottish Labour stalwarts, will be spinning in their graves at what their party represents now. Times have changed, and now we have to vote for what is right. You had your chance to kill Thatcherism and you blew it. Scotland's not coming back, we won't turn up like robots any longer to vote for the party that has betrayed Scotland for so long. You happily stood with the Tories in September, stabbed Scotland in the back, and celebrated with them as the referendum came in. Labour's whole strategy in Scotland is to belittle our strengths and terrify our people. The scaremongering worked so well last September, the same apparatchiks that ran Better Together have been put in charge to indoctrinate and weave more lies. The pensions lie that had been debunked by the DWP springs to mind, despite evidence to the contrary. Vulnerable pensioners were door-stepped and telephoned and informed that in an independent Scotland their income would be in danger. Does this sound like the tactics of "socialists" to you? The Red Tories do not want Scotland to have additional powers - all it wants is for Scots to slavishly follow the electoral patterns of the last decades and return Labour. After that's done and dusted they all return to Westminster and Scotland is left to its own devices. The new proposals by Murphy and Brown were scrawled on the back of a bookie's line. Let's ensure at the post this tired old nag gets put out of its misery - it needs shooting! The only time I ever believed anything that Gordon Brown said was when a microphone was left on by accident. Remember all SNP supporters - go on your canvas armed with the sitting MP's voting record. That will do the trick as they cannot deny factual information, and Labour's record is abysmal for a so-called 'people's party.' Do not be lulled into a sense of complacency by the polls, go out and ensure that the map turns SNP Yellow. Every dirty trick in the book will be used before the general election. The best way to fight against propaganda and spin is with the cold hard evidence. The SNP is NOT looking to go into coalition with Labour. They are looking at "confidence and supply" support - which is definitely NOT the same as coalition, and means support can be withdrawn when required, which would keep Ed and co. on their toes. If the SNP went into a Westminster coalition with the Tories they would be utterly finished. Labour had their chance to rid Scotland of the Tories last year, but instead played Quisling. The people shall remember that in May. You have deserted Scotland and what the country, and your party once stood for. The SNP have made it very clear that they will never support the Tories but will support a Labour government, so that blows the 'vote SNP and get the Tories' fable clear out of the water. The government will be formed by whichever party commands a MAJORITY of votes in the Commons. Voting SNP gives Scottish voters that want further powers the best of all options, as SNP MPs will be committed to Scotland at Westminster and not a bunch of Scottish Labour MPs who answer to UK Labour and have put Scottish interests last. Don't fall for the "Vote SNP, Get Tory", tactic. Scotland only has one Conservative MP. if I vote SNP how will I get a Tory government? I find this concept farcical and insulting. However, I can't find any evidence for it. If England want Labour they're more than capable of voting them in all on their own. The Scottish vote has only made any radical difference to the outcome of a GE about twice since 1945, but why let the truth get in the way of a good lie? Labour in Scotland have always put Westminster's wants above Scotland's needs.]]> Gordon Brown Backed Down Because He Was Scared of Losing His Seat to the SNP tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6230340 2014-11-27T03:59:45-05:00 2015-01-26T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ It's also back to dirty tricks time in the media this week, courtesy of the Scottish Labour Party. Their only policy in Scotland seems to be the exact opposite of the SNP, and they're now throwing as much mud at the walls in the desperate attempt that some will stick. Labour are going into meltdown now in Scotland, and just can't accept or realise that they are going to be like the Tories soon north of the border - a minority party. And now the 'architect of the vow' has bailed out as well. This was inevitable, as he'd already lost his seat next year as retribution for siding with the Tories during the referendum like the majority of the Labour MPs will find in May, when the Scottish people elect candidates from the Yes Alliance parties. Labour will be doing well to hang onto a handful of seats up here. So yet another major scalp Red Tory has fallen - Brown, Darling, Lamont, Sarwar, and more to come I hope. Wee Gordy and Ally Bally must realise they will both be humiliated at the General Election, so have decided to abandon ship, which is a pity as seeing their faces as they got hammered at the hustings would have been delicious.. I thought they "won" the referendum? It's almost as if they're ashamed to be in the public eye now... The No vote was bought by a combination of bribes and threats. Now it's time to honour your "vows", or else! Brown and Darling have bolted because they can't deliver what was promised. The two ex-chancellors are now chancers. And finally, are you still going to "personally hold the Prime Minister to his vow on Scotland", Gordon? Total control over income tax isn't devo-max, and is yet another Labour u-turn by LONDON Labour masquerading in a tartan bunnet. This is a shill deal, full fiscal autonomy must be delivered, and nothing less. Labour promise to keep austerity and be tougher on benefits than the Tories. Both the welfare rights commission and Scotland's only Tory MP also agree benefit cuts were responsible for the rise in food banks. The No camp voted for austerity and benefit "reforms". So, if we vote Labour you will be fed lies and the same old, same old. None of the Scots Unionist Parties have anything new to offer. The SNP and another referendum is the only way forward. The UK is in a downward tailspin and the results in the future will be shown on the streets when the electorate all over the UK are sick and tired of the big three. I also must be getting sentimental in my dotage, as watching the SNP event at the Hydro last week made me get a tad misty-eyed. Nicola has already been filling halls up and down Scotland the last few weeks, and the amount of people on the reserve list wanting tickets was also incredible. Let's face it over 12,000 turning up to hear politicians is amazing; there are exciting times ahead for Scotland. And no wonder, the passion stirs in the FM's voice, Scotland is in good hands. Westminster's feet will be held to the fire by Nicola and the SNP . The fire burning in the pit of her belly is an inferno, and the rest of Scotland feels the same way. The referendum has reawakened the people of Scotland, and more and more will cross to the Yes camp. Eck was indeed correct when he said that "Hell hath no fury like a Nation scorned". The determination is there, Scotland is alive, the hope for better things will not die now. Westminster will pay for their years of arrogance and indolence. I have never seen my country as engaged as this ever and it's truly enlightening and inspiring. The SNP shall deliver, and before the election campaign next year, I fully expect the old 'Tartan Tories' epithet to be dragged out of the lobby press by Labour. This is not inly insulting but laughable now. This happened in 1979, and the SNP has radically transformed, for the better. Meanwhile, Labour have abandoned everything that they once stood for - Keir Hardie must be spinning in his grave like a windwill in force ten gale, and remember, the SNP's vote in 1979 against the Callaghan government was as a result of Scotland being stabbed in the back by Labour after the referendum. Nicola spoke to more people in one Saturday afternoon in Glasgow, than the Scottish Labour Party has as members!]]> SNP's Alex Salmond Has Been Demonised by Westminster for the Simple Reason He Is Smarter and Sharper Than the Opposition tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6174718 2014-11-17T19:27:08-05:00 2015-01-17T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon have more credibility in their little finger than any one of our Westminster politicians will have throughout their whole political lifespan. Whether you love or loathe Alex Salmond, he is still the only politician in these islands at the moment to lead a party with a healthy working majority. He'll be back to scourge Unionist politics, stronger than ever, and will lead a swarm of yellow and black SNP representatives into Westminster next year; stirring up a Hornet's Nest that will awaken the Westminster establishment from their self-satisfied and cosy stupor. Eck and Nicola and everyone who participated in the cross party YES campaign have unified Scots into a nation once again and installed self-belief and self-pride. Our time will come, as surely it is better to be led by lions rather than lambs. One in 50 of the Scottish population is now an SNP member, and that is remarkable, and was a figure unachievable before Eck took control again. The only way to change things politically is to take the battle into the streets, and that is why the SNP will win. All of us have a part to play at the GE next year, no matter how small or insignificant we think it is, from the 16 or 17-year-old who became engaged at the referendum in politics for the first time, to the pensioner. From the housewife to the student, the bin-man to the teacher. We are all individuals, but all united here and all one and the same. No matter how you voted on 18 September, the only way we can achieve more for Scotland and hold the Unionist parties to their promises is to return as many SNP representatives to Westminster as possible. Holyrood is a devolved parliament; we don't have independence in all but name. We have a limited degree of self-government, and all the major decisions are still taken in Westminster. Now the YES side are fully aware that they lost the vote in September but the realisation that the entire country was duped by last minute promises from the Unionist leaders of Devo Max, has now motivated more than half the country to support Sturgeon in the next Westminster elections. A Tory government will only drive the Scots towards Independence. Still, that is a plus for the SNP, and if the polls show Labour cannot win then even more voters in Scotland will support the SNP; and about time. Yet no doubt the Red Tories will use their tired old mantra of "vote for us keep the Tories out u're alright." Well we are not going to fall for that one again. Nicola has already stated that if the SNP do hold the balance of power after the GE they would support a Labour Coalition, ON THEIR TERMS ONLY, which will ensure that Scotland gets all powers promised or else they would walk away. So vote SNP to achieve the best deal for all of Scotland. Sturgeon in Perth made it clear she is not to be messed with. Just like Eck, she has already in her maiden speech as leader shown that she is a force to be reckoned with. If Milliband needs those SNP seats to form a majority, the price for that will be significant. Trident must be scrapped and removed from the Clyde. All powers promised in the "Vow" must be delivered, and the austerity policies must be abandoned, all over the UK. And reading through todays Glasgow Evening Tmes, Nicola Sturgeon is quoted on page two as saying "oting for Labour to keep the Tories out is the biggest con trick in Scottish politics."Meanwhile on page 16 The Scottish Labour acting Leader Anas Sarwar gushes, " Every Vote for an sNP candidate is a vote to elect David Cameron". This time though we won't get fooled agaon . . . A friend of mine has a son who works at Westminster as a researcher for a group of Labour MP's, and he confessed that a lot of the Labour MP's wish Salmond was a member of their party, because they think that with him on board he would make a fine PM! Some people have also compared Eck to Obi Wan Kenobi, "You can't win. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." While that detail is certainly true, I however see Salmond more like a rock star - and I have known a good few in my time - and the General Election will be Alex Salmond and the SNP's '68 Comeback Special. I watched Eck's speech on the road via Youtube and it was stirring stuff indeed. So the rest of this blog will be a kind of condensed version of some of the key points, a kind of greatest hits, (where have we heard that expression recently?) and shows the measure of the man, and the politician. Attending the Scotland v England game at Parkhead will be his last official duty as FM, and he has spearheaded a seismic transformation in Scotland that will mark his place in History, and the shockwaves shall be felt for many years to come. And as a last act, he will be donating his annual pension entitlement after being First Minister every year to benefit children's charities in the NE of Scotland, he already donates a third of his annual salary this way already. "As we enter the 2015 and 2016 elections, our message of hope and ambition is matched by a demonstration of what we have achieved." "Because self-government has never been just about having power for its own sake. It has been about having power to improve the lives of the people who live and work here." "That's why we have worked so hard to demonstrate what can be done within devolved government -constitutional reform means nothing without tangible benefit for ALL of Scotland." "Since 2007 we have delivered Scotland's first minority government and Scotland's first majority government. Let me be clear - without the success of that minority government there would have been no majority government, and without that majority, there would have been no referendum." "Ten years ago when I was re-elected in a partnership leadership with Nicola the SNP had 8,000 members. We now have ten times that number, ready and willing to pick up the gauntlet for Scotland. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN AN ORDINARY POLITICAL PARTY. NOW WE ARE AN EXTRAORDINARY ONE WITH A GREAT TASK TO BE COMPLETED. Next week our Conference re-convenes in the Hydro Arena in Glasgow - the largest ever political Conference across these islands. We are a party renewed. Let us resolve to involve each and every member in the work that lies before us, in the selection of candidates and in the election to come. And let us be open and generous - to allow some shining stars of the YES movement to stand under the SNP banner reflecting the historic shift that has taken place. The groups that emerged from the grassroots were wonderful - Women for Independence, Business for Scotland, National Collective and many many more. LET US EMBRACE THEM AS CANDIDATES AND ASK PEOPLE A SIMPLE QUESTION: WHO WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE REPRESENTING THE NATION? THE NEW PEOPLE WHO AWOKE THE NATIONAL SPIRIT OR THE OLD WESTMINSTER PARTIES WHO HAVE DONE THEIR BEST TO BREAK IT? And let us set ourselves a target. Let us select our candidates from the best that Scotland has to offer and send them into battle with an army of activists. Our Party has tripled in size but it can grow further yet." "We have come a long way but we have a step further still to travel. It must be infuriating for our Unionist opponents to see us lose the referendum and then go on to prosper. They are totally disorientated. They cannot understand what on earth is going on. The reason is actually quite simple. For us the referendum for us was never about party - it was always about country. And because we understand that most people - YES voters and NO voters - want to see the country prosper, we are trusted by most voters to do just that. Advancing the Scottish national interest is what we do - it's in this party's DNA. So starting now and until we have secured for Scotland what we were promised our job is to hold Westminster's feet to the fire. And that is why voting SNP is more important than ever, and the YES vote we shall ask for in May next year will be a simple one: Yes to the devolution of job creating powers, social security, broadcasting, pensions and much else besides. Yes to a Parliament with real control of Scotland's finances. Yes - above all - to the presumption that those who live and work here are best placed to run our own affairs. The UK parties should be in no doubt - give Scots the power we demand, or Scotland will vote to take it." "We have put Scotland back on the global map. The eyes of the world were fixed on Scotland this year, and Scotland did not stand transfixed in the headlights of international attention. We rose instead to the challenge of change. The people will not disappear back into the political shadows and the nation will not fade into the dark. This country has changed and changed utterly. AND THAT IS THE CHANGE WHICH WILL CARRY US FORWARD - FORWARD TO INDEPENDENCE"]]> The SNP Could Be Responsible for Another Highland Clearance at the Election - the Labour Party tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6133642 2014-11-10T12:24:57-05:00 2015-01-10T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ I hope that Eck does decide to try and capture a very high profile coalition government scalp, and Alexander, as treasury secretary, will be an easy donkey on which to pin the austerity woes of the Tory/Lib Dem policies. Danny Alexander is no match for a charismatic and shrewd political player like Salmond, and the soon-to-be former first minister is indeed very dangerous - as the lion was wounded and will be out sniffing for the kill. The opinion polls suggest that the Lib Dems are, like Labour, in a state of freefall, so a 8000+ majority should be well within Eck's capabilities to overturn and achieve an SNP gain that would be on the same historic level as Jim Sillars' seismic victory in Govan in 1988. The shockwaves of this, though, would indeed be far more significant. Alex Salmond and the SNP got their second term in Holyrood against the odds, because they have listened to the electorate, unlike the Westminster elite, and for the first time a Scottish Parliament has also balanced the books on the budget. Independence shall continue to be an issue. While Scotland keeps voting SNP and still ends up with a Conservative government, the amount of new SNP members across the whole country has indeed been overwhelming. When even the Shetlands and Hebrides get an increase in SNP membership of nearly 400%, then the old adage that the islands "are not really like the rest of Scotland" seems like a myth. In fact, Scottish Labour have been reluctant for many years to reveal their true membership figures - they will have suffered a massive defection of numbers to the SNP, and you can be sure that many of their disgruntled former card-carrying members will have forgotten to cancel their subscriptions as well. A Ukip/Tory majority will lead to more right-wing policies, more crippling austerity, more needless deaths through benefit sanctions, more civil liberties being stripped away, and the countryside fracked for profit and greed. Their only interest will be to ensure the elite stay in their position of prominence and power, while the rest of us are all kept under the cosh. Scotland must not be submissive, and should stand up and be counted... Returning more SNP to Westminster next May is the only solution. Labour promised the earth before the referendum, and then shoved Scotland under a Number 20 bus heading to Doomsville. They are offering the least in the way of substantial powers of any of the Westminster parties, and they still expect us to vote for them, well those days are gone. Jim Murphy has seen the unions give their support to Neil Findlay in their leadership battle, including the GMB - the very same organisation that he has been a card-carrying member of for over 20 years! Labour have sold Scotland down the river and they shall pay for that for many years to come at the hands of the electorate - and as they continue to stab one another in the back internally as well. Nicola Sturgeon will be elected SNP leader uncontested, primarily because the whole party agree that she is the best and most progressive candidate for the job and shall be a fine FM. Salmond knows that he is leaving Scotland in good hands. Nicola is well-grounded, from a good working-class background, has been a member of the SNP since she was 16, was at 21 one of the youngest-ever candidates to stand for Westminster at an election, and worked for many years as a solicitor in Drumchapel, saving tenants in one of the poorest areas of Glasgow from eviction. She is a grafter, and was one of the very few that could influence a man as formidable and forthright as Salmond. And this "wee wummin" shall indeed be as popular as Eck was, but shall be very much her own person and shape and lead the party to the next level. She is stepping into a big pair of shoes but will walk tall with confidence. And Salmond and Scotland can be proud of her, not just the SNP. We were lied to at the referendum by the media, business, and Westminster, and these are all being exposed one by one, the emperors new clothes are not a John Bull suit, but the naked truth of Scotland being stitched up like a kipper again. The Weir Group chief executive proclaimed in the spring that independence would "carry substantial risks to jobs". I wonder how those unfortunates felt this week, when the redundancy notices fell like a ton of bricks onto the doormats, and I sincerely hope that they all find new employment as soon as possible. As Mr Lydon once said: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?". But it hasn't been all doom and gloom... The Commonwealth Games was a major triumph for the city of Glasgow, as thousands flocked from all over the globe to compete at a remarkable sporting event that had the eyes of the world upon Scotland. The most successful games to date was an achievement and Scotland's best ever medal haul helped make it all a truly memorable and positive experience despite the spectacle of the dancing Tunnocks tea cakes! Glasgow and Scotland were shown in a positive light, and all in the name of International brotherhood and sportsmanship. So, the announcement that the games were delivered under budget by £25million is indeed remarkable, and has to be applauded. A new para-sports centre shall be erected and the substantial surplus is being pumped back into the NHS, and that is a great legacy by the SNP. I shudder to think if Labour would have just handed that money back to Westminster if it had been on their watch. These actions show what can be done with good governance in charge and not a puppet-master with the strings being pulled by Westminster. How much did the Olympics overspend by again, David? I can think of not just one good reason to vote SNP next year, but twenty five million.]]> The SNP Have Done More for Scotland in Seven Years Than Labour Have Done in Seventy tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6113762 2014-11-06T11:50:56-05:00 2015-01-06T05:59:02-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ Love him or loathe Salmond, he honoured a manifesto pledge to give us our first referendum on the union in 307 years. It may seem a small thing, but it is something that seems to have fallen out of fashion with the political pygmies in Westminster, where the electorate seems to have become too passive to hold them to account. No doubt about it. Scotland is a very much better place today with the SNP fighting austerity cuts from London, than it would have been with so-called 'Scottish' Labour 'fighting for Scotland'. Capitulation on a massive scale would have seen even Scotland's water sold off by 'Scottish' Labour to London. Salmond and the SNP have got Scotland more than we ever dreamed we could have, especially under Labour. No more 'subsidy junkie' jibes from the London-based media about Scotland, and recognition worldwide of our small country. Salmond has restored Scotland's pride and left us in a better position now than when he started his campaign, long, long ago. He has left the SNP in good hands in Nicola Sturgeon, and has secured a population re-engaged in the politics of Scotland once again, and that in itself is a major accomplishment. Salmond is not finished, his job not yet done, but he has broken the back of this 'union', which as we can all see, is broken beyond repair. Infighting in the aftermath of desperately concession to try to maintain it by the Unionists, merely serves to show the cracks becoming irreparable, day by day. Holed below the water-line, the good ship Britannia is sinking before our eyes. However, in this 'union', and as Salmond has already stated, "it used to be Britannia rules the waves. Now, it's Britannia waives the rules." Not any more. Scotland is calling the shots now. No more substantial powers, then a 6% swing is all that is needed next time. As good as independent in the Union. Or, fully independent outwith this Union. Either way, the Scots have won. A YouGov poll last weekend found 52% of Scots now favour independence. Some 45% want a fresh vote within a decade, compared to just 16% who never want another referendum. Next time the scaremongering shall not work. Better Together have already admitted the currency issue was a bluff on their part and there would have been a currency union. Indeed Mark Carney had the plans already set up. And on the fourth of this month a study by Ipsos MORI found 57% would support the SNP in the constituency ballot for the Scottish Parliament, giving the party a 34-point lead over Labour on 23%. that was in a new poll on news tonight. Meanwhile, half (50%) of people who say they would definitely vote would also back the SNP in the regional section of the ballot, compared to 23% for Labour, according to the poll for STV News. And I can't see Eck forming a Westminster coalition with Miliband, Salmond is too sharp to fall for it. Deputy PM? He's seen what happened to Clegg. He seems to be doing pretty well for someone who lost. Enjoying higher trust ratings amongst the Scottish public than any other politician in Westminster or Holyrood, with the sole exception of Nicola Sturgeon. The Labour Party in meltdown in Scotland, with the SNP expected to win the majority of seats in 2015, and to win another majority in Holyrood in 2016. Membership of the SNP at a record level and it is the third largest party in the UK. 58% of the Scottish public support having another referendum within five years and 66% within 10 years. A second referendum should be held within the next five.years. The UK under David Cameron has lied to the Scottish people - they have NO intention of expanding devolution. Do not believe these empty promises. Scotland must chart its OWN course and this can only be achieved through national independence. Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP must remain strong and NOT compromise. Scottish devolution was proposed in 1977 but the Tories under Margaret Thatcher and John Major opposed it vigorously. Scotland should never trust the Conservative Party. Alex Salmond has made the SNP, what was considered a fringe political force, into the governing party of Scotland, with the largest party membership. His record speaks for itself. Independence was always going to be an uphill battle. Just as there were setbacks in the re-establishing of the Scottish parliament, so there will be setbacks to the road to independence. Salmond comes across as far more trustworthy than any of the opposition. He has always been out amongst the people in the street. His support is increasing, despite the result of the referendum. What remains to be seen is if Labour and the Tories can recover in time for the next campaign. It may indeed have been a hollow victory for the No camp, possibly one of some permanence. How come the pro-Independence parties have quadrupled in size since the referendum, how come the Labour Party is going to lose almost all its seats in GE2015? How come the Radical Independence Conference on 22 November has sold out and has to move to a bigger venue? How come there's more folk in Scotland engaged in political activity than ever before? How come the party that "won" the referendum is falling apart like a chocolate Santa Claus at Joan of Arc's feet? Devo-Max wasn't on because the Establishment rather nonchalantly assumed the support for Independence would be approximately the same as the support for the SNP, not realising that in fact the SNP turned out to be a wee part of a very big grassroots campaign. I've got a lot of respect for this guy. He really is a heavyweight and virtually every establishment character I've seen go head to head with him gets shown up for the duplicitous slime they are. He's done Scots a world of good - wonder if they'll ever realise it. Alex lives and breathes for Scotland, started when he was a young man 18 years young, never faltered or wavered. Alex is well aware of the respect many Scots have for him, grassroots and all, and, yes, he has changed Scotland for the better. Scots want better than status quo, still do, and there's a big movement going on in Scotland; cheers big man. I have friends in England who had only ever heard about Alex Salmond in the English media. They could not believe it when they watched the recent Question Time and saw and heard him speak for themselves. They could not believe how different he was to the hysterical rubbish printed about him in down south. Their conclusion was that they wished they had a politician like him at Westminster instead of what they are stuck with. Who knows it could happen yet? It seems many are just not aware of the ground swell in Scotland against Labour. Its not been a sudden thing more like an awakening and the favoured new Scottish Labour leader will not be able to patch up the damage done. Most of the damage has been internal and for me I get the sense that Labour MSPs feel they have a sense of entitlement when it comes to their seat. What happened during the referendum was that Scottish Labour were singing from the Westminster hymn sheet and they had no voice of their own. The recent resignation from Lamont only went to emphasise this. For me personally I get the feeling Labour MSPs in Scotland are waiting for a step up to a seat in Westminster. He lost the battle but he may live long enough to win the war. The No vote was not an endorsement of the UK; it was a stay of execution. The main UK parties need to follow an agenda of devolution not just for Scotland, but for the rest of the UK. A federal system is the only way this union can be held together long term. There won't be a second chance.The people of Scotland were conned by a media playing the bugle for a corrupt Westminster government. And on the Marr show this week, the FM is going out with a bang. "The role, hand-in-glove, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Conservative Party in the referendum campaign is not going to be forgotten or forgiven for a generation in Scottish politics. Every single Labour personality who has been pictured in the referendum campaign in that pose - that hand-in-glove, shoulder-to-shoulder pose - will pay a heavy price for many years to come," he stated. Salmond put the Scots in a no-lose situation. Squeezed concessions out of the three stooges parties and moved even closer to breaking away, and some people think he lost! Westminster now need to offer more than sneering and threats, and empty promises; you can only get away with bluffing for so long, in the end, threats no longer frighten anybody. And burning an effigy of Eck and Nessie on the East Sussex County Council Bonfire is indeed insulting, especially as he's wearing 45% and Yes badges, this will no doubt lead to more Scots joining the SNP and the 45% (That's how we work in Scotland). But the First Minister has instead asked why "poor Nessie" has been targeted, he then stated "if this Tory council think I am a threat to Westminster like Guy Fawkes, then they are right!" The creators were obviously "threatened" by the 45% of people who voted Yes, which is a good sign. Keep up the pressure, this insult to the people of Scotland will add more members to the SNP, and also piss off a lot of No voters as well. Well done, Lewes. Sturgeon in Holyrood, first minister of Scotland, with devo-max in the bag, Salmond in Westminster, Parliamentary leader of 30-50 well disciplined MPs. Labour in disarray after losing Scotland, the Tories a shambles after Ukip take a good few scalps down south. Any politician in Salmond's shoes would be licking his lips. The Referendum. Free Prescriptions. Free Higher Education. Free Concessionary Bus Travel. Bedroom Tax Revoked. Council Tax Freeze. Historic Poll Tax debts written off. A more politically aware country. The SNP have done more for Scotland in seven years than Labour in 70.]]> The SNP Are the Only Party Capable of Taking the Fight to Farage and UKIP tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6073754 2014-10-30T13:15:46-04:00 2014-12-30T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ Scotland should not be dragged out of the EU just because English Nationalists demand it. Yes, it's certainly "annoying" that Scotland refuses to be taken in by the loony drivel of Ukip, and refuses to be whipped up by the anti-immigration mob frenzy currently taking over England. I'm sure it's also "annoying" that the SNP is currently miles in the lead in the polls for both Westminster in 2015 and Holyrood in 2016. It's certainly "annoying" that it turns out that Westminster doesn't have the legal power to remove Scotland from the ECHR. I've no doubt that it's deeply "annoying" that Scotland would - without any question - vote to remain in the EU. 45% of those who voted in the referendum voted to LEAVE this "most successful union known to man". The other 55% did NOT vote FOR the union. They voted against what was on offer from the Yes side. To believe that the union is saved because people voted FOR it, is totally delusional. The union is in crisis and people who think everything will get back to abnormal really need to wake up if they want to preserve any kind of union. For all four nations of the Union to be "equal" as was suggested by the Better Together campaign throughout the referendum then it is only fair they have an equal say on matters such as this. But in terms of the huge population in England compared to the other three nations I don't know how this can be fairly achieved, therefore meaning that we are not equal at all. I look forward to seeing Ukip, Tories or indeed any anti-EU politician campaigning in Scotland, (and Wales and NI), under a banner of "We English get to decide whether you Jocks, Taffs or Paddies are part of the EU". Every single word they say in support of leaving the EU will be thrown back in their faces by asking if they believe the same for Scotland. Well done Sturgeon - again SNP and Plaid Cymru - the Celtic fringe - are the few voices of decency and common sense left in the UK. The SNP could veto the referendum if they held the balance of power in 2015. It's going to be a fun parliament, with maybe 30+ SNP MP's in WM, Dave needs to form a majority, or at least not oppose his legislation, they're going to hold the country over a barrel. I imagine that Nicola would only agree to a referendum at all if there was a clause that if Scotland voted no there'd be an automatic independence referendum. So let me get this right... You want English votes for issues that affect England AND you want English votes to decide issues that affect Scotland? The United Kingdom is no longer a unitary state, it is a state which is formed by an equal partnership of four nations. Therefore Nicola Sturgeon's view is valid. Scotland has a devolved parliament, why shouldn't it have a vote on Europe. Same for Wales and NI. Frankly it's a clever political move from NS as once again it shows there are stark differences between the constituent parts of the UK, and the UK gov't is failing to manage the differences. And then Nicola gets criticised over her hair on STV by Ukip MEP for Scotland, David Coburn, take a good look in the mirror before you pass styling judgement. And I can't see UKIP giving the SNP a "kicking" at the GE as you stated on Good Morning Scotland. In fact I would see your election as an MEP, as a Midsummer Madness protest vote. Ukip will not make any gains in Scotland at the GE or in 2016. I think Nicola will achieve great things for Scotland, and continue the work that Eck started. She will be a constant thorn to Westminster and she will acquire powers by the strength of her persuasive arguments refusing to acquiesce and relentless demands. And on 29 October Nicola started her tour of Scotland in Edinburgh, speaking as FM elect to the party faithful and the newly signed up members. And encouraging SNP supporters, to bring an undecided friend as a guest will also help swell the ranks. Ok, it now means that the weekend that the Jesus and Mary Chain play the Barrowland, on the day off, Nicola is at the Hydro a 13,000 capacity venue. So we aren't the biggest live draw in Glasgow that weekend now! All tickets snapped up for every venue, in less than 24 Hours! Seems like Nicola and the SNP are the only party capable of taking the fight to Farage and Ukip. It is a shame that Miliband doesn't have the same backbone.]]> Gordon Brown and David Cameron Have a Lot in Common tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5985548 2014-10-14T16:39:33-04:00 2014-12-14T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ After the crocodile tears we got before the referendum from the PM, he didn't even have the decency to turn up for the Scottish debate at WM. Instead he sends his wee toady Hague, I thought he loved us as well... And the chamber was hardly full, I saw more bodies at the Lib Dem Conference last week, Brown spoke for about five minutes and then left. You sold the gold Gordon, hope you haven't led your countrymen up the garden path. Brown; the MP who is getting his salary for not working for his constituents by not appearing in Parliament. He has only made a handful of appearances since the last election. He is also worried that Labour will be a spent force, and will not be able to get their ideas through Parliament, if it is only English MPs who can vote on issues pertaining to England. And that is only right, as English MPs cannot vote on only Scottish issues. Before the ink was dry on the ballot papers, they were both backtracking on their promises, (or was that cast iron guarantees?), made a few days earlier. I think most Scots would only see the fairness of the principle of English votes on English only issues, indeed the SNP MPs don't vote on English matters. However, it should be pointed out that before the Scottish Executive came into existence, English MPs were only too happy to vote on Scottish only matters. I object to having decisions taken for the country of my birth by a right wing government that Scotland neither wanted nor voted for. I hate the stigmatisation and persecution of the poor, (many of whom are working but on a ridiculous low wage), and disabled and the austerity measures which have unfairly punished those with the least amount to give and who were not to blame for the debt. And this, whilst the bankers get rewarded for poor irresponsible practice, companies have huge tax bills waived and top execs can earn about 127 times the average wage. You are obviously doing okay, don't need benefits or to use food banks to feed your family. You are happy with the massive cost of Scotland having a nuclear deterrent, and quite fancy having INEOS fracking underneath your house. Extreme socialist state you say?...I say trying to provide a more socially just and equal society Well having read the command paper, (It reminds me of Chamberlain's letter from Hitler to be honest, and will be as much use), as expected the big Broon's speeches were worthless. The tripartite alliance are offering well nothing that will satisfy the majority of people who voted at the referendum. They lied, what a surprise!. The Labour party have woken up to the fact their power base will be severely diminished if Scottish Labour MPs cannot vote on English only laws. When Brown, Miliband and Balls talk about a constitutional crisis what they really mean is a Labour party crisis. Having said that, the SNP will decimate the Scottish Labour Party next May. Scotland has been completely ignored in this so called debate. It is just another spat between the Westminster parties. Scotland is watching. And those that voted no a few weeks ago won't be fooled or frightened again. Sadiq Khan said in the debate, the best way for the Conservatives to address the West Lothian question is to win more seats in Scotland, this is what its all about. The Conservatives can't get votes in Scotland so they would rather change it so Scottish votes don't count. A lot of us are old enough to remember the early Hovis adverts "don't say Brown say Hovis". Perhaps the new political slogan should be "don't say Brown - say hopeless".]]> Scottish Independence Is Coming - It's Not If It's When! tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5970516 2014-10-11T15:27:17-04:00 2014-12-11T05:59:02-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ The Red Tories are finished in Scotland. Their policies may have some rationale in a Westminster context, but in Scotland, no one wants to know, especially after the referendum. The imminent return of a majority Tory government, with the policies outlined at their conference, is making a large number of NO voters realise that they have again been landed with a government (and a fucking evil one at that) that they didn't vote for and are poles apart from. Meanwhile, in Glasgow, new members of the SNP have been turned away from attending meetings, because the venues were jam-packed, and as full as a banana! I feel the next conference will have to change to a larger venue. As someone said on Facebook, let's make it Wembley and we can get the goalposts again! And a large pro-indy rally is being held this weekend in George Square, under the banner of "HOPE NOT FEAR". A lot of Yes voters shall be attending, and according to the Facebook pages, a considerable amount of NO voters have already seen the light and defected. And this is to be encouraged, that 6% swing has to be gained and then some. The 45 is growing, that trickle will turn into a deluge. Failure to deliver on the referendum pledges is inevitable, and even if the 'powers' are granted they are meaningless as a right to set income tax with consequent Barnett reduction gives us no more money to address the problems of austerity and inequality without ridiculous levels of income tax. All this was predicted and 45% of the electorate understood this. Among the 55% many also did, but decided to remain with the status quo. Many now will feel cheated. A Tory/UKIP coalition, or a majority Tory government, of the type we saw in action at their conference is very much a grim reality, despite the claims of the NO campaign pre-referendum. It is all coming to pass, independence is certainly NOT dead. There are many who will move to the independence camp now. Few will go back to the union. The SNP delivered more in the short period of time that they have had power than anything the RT's has achieved for Scotland in 30 or more years prior; Salmond placed the class traitorism of Labour in the spotlight and effected socially improving policies in the face of a disgraceful, spite-filled Tory party. He knew when to take the honourable action; something which the Westminster careerists and the bitches of big business and the whores of warmongers don't even blush over as they mutter trite mea culpas for their failures yet carry on as before. "A house divided cannot stand", said Abraham Lincoln, and Scots need to remember this today. The Tories, with their Red chums following saying "Me too, me too!" are systematically demolishing the welfare state. Already, if you have a serious disability such as multiple sclerosis, you cannot expect to get a pittance from the state: you are out on the street. This is the UK we live in now, not the distinguished old country it is often thought of as still. A country that has abandoned all social conscience. This is about getting out, not staying in. It is madness to hope that with some legislative autonomy Scotland will be safe from the new savage Tory order fast taking shape in the rest of the UK - the food bank and street begging Britain of Iain Duncan Smith (a Scotsman, ironically). The priority now is to build up the SNP, make sure it gets a big majority in the next election and then have another referendum. And Cameron now challenging Nicola to honour a pre-referendum pledge that the vote would decide the referendum question for a generation shows that Westminster are now experiencing squeaky bum syndrome. Let's see you honour your 'vow' first Cameron. That now supercedes the Edinburgh agreement... Or have you forgotten about that already? Unless devo max (full fiscal autonomy) is delivered, Scotland will be perfectly within its rights to demand another referendum. David Cameron knows little of Scotland, nor really cares. Elections are not won, or lost in Scotland. They are won in the south east of England, where the bulk of the population live. He must keep them happy to get re-elected next year. The Conservatives and Unionist Party in Scotland have problems, one MP and his jacket is on a shoogly nail and only 15 MSPs, mostly 'list' MSPs, including their leader, Ruth Davidson (who is being investigated by Police Scotland over her postal votes statement on the BBC just before the results started coming in). The chances of Scotland returning pro Unionist MPs or MSPs diminish with every day agreement on 'powers' to Holyrood pass with no result. All it does is leave Scotland with a distrust of Westminster and it's politicians, while the SNP, delivering what it promised, gains all the time in Scotland. The latest opinion polling in Scotland shows a massive swing to SNP with the Red Tories on course to lose half its scottish seats. This on paper would make the SNP larger than the Lib Dems in Westminster - and the SNPs position is clear, they will not enter into coalition with any party in Westminster and will vote against the government of the day all the time over every issue and in short paralyse Parliament. It is not Nicola Sturgeon who will decide that there is to be another referendum. Nor is it the SNP or even the Scottish Government. And it certainly isn't David Cameron. Imagine in May the largest number of Scottish MPs going to Westminster to represent the SNP. Couple that with the real possibility of the need to strike deals with fringe parties to make government work in the UK. I think you'll find that there are some serious cards to play for in Scotland. Independence will arrive, within our lifetime - Westminster's bubble has burst. The game's a bogey.]]> SNP Membership Now at 100,000 Members! tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5935416 2014-10-05T19:00:00-04:00 2014-12-05T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ Who says we don't respect the decision? We just don't believe that the British government will fulfill their end of the bargain, we just want to see a party that'll actually push for the powers promised and that actually represents Scotland (as opposed to the Tories and Red Tories). The SNP membership is up by 75,000 since the vote and already people across Scotland are planning for how we can obtain independence as quickly as possible. When 71% of teenagers vote yes, it is only a matter of time... and how. If anyone seriously believes this matter is finished, it isn't far from it. The yes camp are more energised than ever and will make this happen with the help of the Tories down south who seem hell bent on helping us. The SNP are now the third biggest political party in the UK, and membership is still increasing at an encouraging rate. With Labour supporters burning their cards and the SNP's membership rising exponentially, i think it is time that the press evaluated their response. The backlash from this could be immense in Scotland and would not be unjustified. In fact it appears that indyref has strengthened the SNP rather than weakened it. Labour are seen as traitors because they stood shoulder to shoulder with the Conservatives and the right wing press has ben vilified. I heartily applaud Salmond for banning the 'hunting down' of ancient poll tax debts. The poll tax was one of the most badly designed and grossly unfair taxes ever to have been foisted on modern Scotland. Families on low income sway their local taxation double, treble, quadruple and so on - virtually overnight. Crucially the poll tax or community charge tax bore no relationship on people's ability to pay. It was a Thatcherite tactic to cut taxes for the wealthy and further impoverish the poor. Many people simply could not afford to pay the tax, this was not helped by heavy charges being levied by councils for late payment. Some people refused to pay the tax on principle. The whole thing was an absolute unjust regressive farce. Eck may be standing down in November, but I am enjoying the fact that he's going out with a bang, and I'm sure he shall return to lead an increased SNP contingent to Westminster. And continue to be a fly in the ointment for the Unionist parties, whilst fighting Scotland's corner. Alex Salmond is showing he's closer to the people of Scotland than any of his parliamentary opposition who should totally support him in drawing a line on a social experiment started in Scotland unsuccessfully and then in incredible folly, introduced into England where the good people killed it stone dead. And Nicola Sturgeon in tacking IDS and Cameron this week over Universal Credit is indeed encouraging stuff, this bodes well for Sturgeon's tenure as FM. She's no afraid of those Thatcherites' in Westminster! In fact in a new poll conducted by Panelbase, Salmond and Sturgeon, were the only two leaders of the political parties to score a positive rating - by far the most successful and longest lasting partnership in Scottish politics. A positive rating after seven years - remarkable. They did the impossible - transformed a small party into one with a majority in the Scottish oarliament. Just shows there is another world outside where the sun shines and positive things happen.]]> Scotland's Stars on 45 tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5858664 2014-09-21T19:27:13-04:00 2014-11-21T05:59:02-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ By the way, it's neither here nor there, but I don't think one can consider a 55%-45% result a resounding victory/defeat. More of a resounding warning to Westminster. I expected the majority of Glasgow to vote they way the did: there is a strong connection between taking for granted the benefits some people take, being unruly and never happy and blaming others for their misfortunes. No wonder the decent Glaswegians want to take their businesses somewhere else. I hope though more opportunities will be created there in the near future. I hope that what comes of this is that the normal people that campaigned so hard for change continue to make a more fair and just society for everyone. It would have been a much bigger statement as to the dissatisfaction of current foreign and UK policy had there been a YES vote however what has happened is still hopefully significant and provides a real chance for change. Alex Salmond has much to be proud of today. But inevitably the struggle for independence will continue under new leadership (not just within the SNP). The Yes vote was impressive and the case for independence compellingly made. The Scottish referendum has ignited a debate through out these islands about the nature of democracy which suggests it is possible for the four nations who share these islands to build a new relationship built on equality and respect rather than on a dominance centred on London and southern England. The political assassination by the mainstream media has been truly eye opening. The political landscape has changed forever in Scotland, and not in Westminster's favour. There wouldn't have been a referendum if it hadn't been for Alex Salmond. He transformed his party into the natural party of government. He was most definitely the right man for the job. No one would have forecast 45% Yes a couple of months ago. Salmond has achieved much and did it with dignity that we haven't expected from our politicians for a long while. In my mind, ever the player, I think he's stepped down now as the debate begins how Westminster will actually implement some of the wild promises it made to ensure a No vote. I think history may see this as a pyrrhic victory for Westminster with Scotland having the last laugh. Social media is already alive and dangerous, as more and more Scots who have been galvanised by the referendum, are going to keep up the need for change. They have stood up, and they will be counted. Because they realise Westminster promised us something they will never deliver and 2million people bought into it, and more and more of the 55% will realise that as well. I have talked to No voters and what's surprised me, is that all of them now expect Westminster to deliver on their promises. If they don't as one taxi driver told me, their will be a major backlash in Scotland to the three main political parties. And I can see that happening. It really is not over. Contrary to belief, we aren't all nationalist nutters shouting freedom from the rooftops. A lot of people in Scotland really are looking for changes to the ways our country functions. People up there really do feel like the voices of the voiceless have just been heard. It's been an amazing campaign with a lot of discussion (friendly and otherwise), and a lot of learning. It's been brilliant. And that feeling does NOT just die over night.]]> Vote Yes For the Future Kids of Scotland tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5831652 2014-09-16T19:00:00-04:00 2014-11-16T05:59:01-05:00 Alan_McGee http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan/ It took him FORTY-FIVE MINUTES. The whole length of Buchanan Street was in full festival mode, taken over by a sea of Saltires and Lion Rampants. Pipers were playing, and it sounded like quite a party. He called me and I heard great joy, an elation I haven't heard from Scotland in years. The whole city centre had a real buzz going on, and it was replicated that same Saturday in town centres all over Scotland. When I was growing up in Glasgow, and especially when we learned about history in school, we were instilled with this inbred inferiority complex. We were taught based on the past, and on the present that was unfolding, that we were a nation that had been defeated and put to bed, that we couldn't ever amount to anything. Thatcherism added to this sense of decline, and things haven't improved since. I had to leave Glasgow and found myself in London. Through hard work and determination I made it, and that Scottish self-doubt ebbed away. I had to make it down south, but being Scottish helped me achieve that; it made me realise that I had something else to prove because of where I was from. And that is what is happening right now in this country: people are waking up, and the BBC and the Labour Party can't stop them. History is within Scotland's grasp, a beautiful and inspiring climax; self-determination is possible. Ignore the stories of being too wee and too poor; they won't work this time. If Scotland is really this insignificant, if we really get more back than we pay in, why are we seeing a campaign of fear and intimidation to keep us? Who would want to keep a 'region', as they call us? This government won't subsidise someone's spare bedroom, so why would they subsidise a whole country? When you have that paper in your hand on Thursday, look at the question for a second and think carefully: 'Should Scotland be an independent country'? Free to choose our own path, to make our way again in the world, to live and prosper in peace and harmony and to create and inspire. We've had 300 odd years of being stifled; it's time to open the windows. Lose that feeling of 'we cannae dae this', and ignore the fear and negativity; the only scare story we haven't heard yet from the No camp is that the beer will run out on September 19th if YES wins. And by Christ it will! You hold the dreams and hope of future generations in your hands in that booth. If we vote No, that will be the last time that a Scottish vote will ever have any significance, and that is a grim certainty. And it's not a vote for the SNP or Alex Salmond, as we don't have the next Holyrood Elections until 2016, that's when party politics come into this. Scotland is waking up and realising that the 1% of people who have everything, and run everything, didn't get that way by accident. If it's a YES, we can see a great renaissance and a new age in Scotland. Maybe the next Alan McGee of the 21st Century won't have to go to London to make his mark in the world, and I believe in that. And also think of the buzz of singing Flower of Scotland at the next Scotland home game next month, against England if it's happening, after a YES victory! So if you won't vote YES for yourself, think of others. Now think of the Scotland you want to leave behind, for your children's future. And to crib from an album title of mine, put the "X" in the YES box. And think to yourself, I'm Doing It For the future kids of my family. ]]>


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Looking for Pergolas? www.hotfrog.co.nz showcases more than 113 businesses grouped by Pergolas within NewZealand. To find more businesses related to Pergolas, pergolas and gazebos, and to filter by locality, use the left navigation menu.
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Lyttelton, Canterbury
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Top Definition
The handle found directly above the seats of most motor vehicles. May or may not be retractable. It's primary use is to be gripped as the passenger prays, swears, or screams.
He grabbed the Jesus bar as she took the car on two wheels.
by schizoartist October 26, 2004
The handle on the passenger side of 4 wheel drive vehicles that you hold onto when the vehicle tilts on extreme angles.
The Jesus Bar is so named because most passengers will grab it at the same time as shouting "Oh Jesus!"
by Byron john March 26, 2009
A bar located in the disabled toilets which non-disabled or disables uses may grip in the event of a bad bowel movement, grog bow, the shits etc. Users can then let a "jesus!" rip while taking a dump and clenching the bar.
"I took a massive dump ! It was like I was shitting a knife, thank god for the Jesus bar in the disabled toilets"
by LaurelE May 11, 2009


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|product name: Too Cool For School Break Time Lip Tint Balm (2 Real Strawberry) (4g) (2 Real Strawberry)
|item no.: 106034502002
|brand: Too Cool For School
|ative from: 2012-06-22 00:00:00
|product size: 4 g
|country of origin: Korea
|function: Anti-wrinkleNourishing
|category: Lip Balm
Too Cool For School Break Time Lip Tint Balm effectively moisturizes lips and protects lip's moisture from drying and harmful environmental rays. Its hydrophilic formula prevents lips from drying. Cupuacu butter gives healthy lips while Vitamin E and botanical butter protects skin moisture. Moisturizing yet non-sticky, it is a luscious and delectable item for a long-lasting, watery and rosy look on lips.
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MPhil/PhD Health and Social Care Research Opportunities
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Find out about our undergraduate and postgraduate open days and see Lincoln for yourself.
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Academics in the Lincoln School of Health and Social Care undertake research on a local, national and international scale to evaluate current practice and determine how improvements can be made to care provision.
This specialist programme is informed by our longstanding partnerships with professionals, research organisations and the National Health Service, and by the innovative research taking place in the School. Our staff engage with health and social care debate to ensure that students are up to date with the latest sector developments and issues.
As a researcher in the School, you have the opportunity to take part in a structured programme of training to develop the research and critical-thinking skills that will benefit you in your future career. You will be supported by an interdisciplinary team of supervisors made up of experienced academics and practitioners from across the College of Social Science.
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Examples of recent research projects include:
- Prevalence of mental health disorder in a probation population
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Independent study is supported by PhD supervision and additional research training opportunities.
The programme is supported by an interdisciplinary team of experienced research supervisors across the College of Social Sciences. The School of Health and Social Care has long standing partnership links to industry, research organisations and the NHS.
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Entry Requirements
Normally a 2:1 honours degree in a related subject. For direct enrolment onto a PhD, a Master's degree with a research component is required
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Postgraduate research is an apprenticeship in academia and an important qualification for academic research and teaching. Many graduates progress on to further study or to careers at senior levels in health and social care-related industries.
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Full time and part time postgraduate research students will be invoiced the published set fee each academic year enrolled, up to the point of thesis submission.
Upon first enrolment, the full set fee is payable.
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A reduced 'writing-up' fee in the 12 month period prior to thesis submission may be applicable subject to your progress. After your Viva Voce examination, additional fees will be payable if a second Viva Voce examination is required.
For further information and for details about funding your study, scholarships and bursaries, please see our Postgraduate Fees & Funding pages [www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studyatlincoln/postgraduateprogrammes/feesandfunding/].