Make no mistake, having this job can seriously damage your political health. Poor wee Alex Neil, one of the more entertaining pantomime dames at Holyrood really should have noticed the smoke billowing out of the health brief and as for that ominous ticking sound...now it's only a matter of time before we hear that Alex Neil is sleeping with the fishes.
And moving quickly along from political whack jobs to out and out whackjobs; what about poor wee Johnny Swinney on Newsnicht last night?
Reduced to stuttering bluster and lying through his teeth when asked to explain why, if independence was the solution to all Scotland's woes, didn't he want the referendum to be held sooner.
Reduced to stuttering bluster and lying through his teeth when asked to explain why, if independence was the solution to all Scotland's woes, didn't he want the referendum to be held sooner.
This is the man who the nats want to have responsibility for a separate Scotland's finances: somebody who looks like a constipated rabbit caught in the headlights when asked a question he can't answer and and who blurts out lies when he gets flustered.
Good choice, Bravehearts!
"somebody who looks like a constipated rabbit caught in the headlights when asked a question he can't answer and and who blurts out lies when he gets flustered."
ReplyDeleteYou nicked that from a description of Iain Gray Graham.
Oh for shame! Call me anything but a plagiarist...
ReplyDeleteI suppose the converse of the question is why unionist parties that are so opposed to a referendum in the last parliament are so keen to have one out of the way now. Especially from a political point of view that Salmond will have 18 months after the referendum to rebuild his party's morale after the probable defeat and the next Scottish general election (as titled in part 1 section 2 of the Scotland Act 1998 Mr "Scottish Executive" Grahamski). A sooner referendum would him more time to rebuild the party.
ReplyDeleteThen another election victory, this time over someone described in the latest Holyrood magazine edition as someone who has a look that it could kill puppies and is to sunshine what mould is to food--- Beats Elmer I suppose.
On a totally different topic, I see Brother Carwyn down in the Valleys is busy trying to create a SEPARATE legal system for Wales (and embaressing his Scottish comrades by exposing their lack of initiative). He says it will make Wales healthier and more democratic. Never knew having your own judiciary helped cancer cure rates but if the most poweful Labour politician in these isles says so then it must be true-----
Thanks for your post.
DeleteI was opposed to a referendum in the last Parliament for the simple reason that there was no democratic mandate for one.
There is now and I believe that it should be done and dusted as quickly as possible to minimise the uncertainty constitutional change brings.
I'm not sure what point you are making regarding a separate Welsh legal system. As you know Scotland has always had a separate legal system so I don't know what initiative you expect Scottish Labour politicians to take regarding it.
Thanks again for your post.
Traditionally Scottish Labour's position on more devolution has been would it "promote social justice". If not then there is no point.
DeleteWhilst all for Wales having its own system, the question is whether creating a monopoly for Cardiff barristers is "promoting social justice" or just an ego trip for Brother Carwyn with all the additional costs of setting a separate system when the money could be spent on health, education etc.
Wonder what Johann would thinks of this.
Generally when the SNP demands more autonomy within the UK it is linked to economic powers and improving the economy, more jobs etc.
Generally Welsh Labour has been less timid on the issue of more autonomy than their Scottish counterpart since Rhodri took over in 2000. He unilaterally upgraded himself from First Secretary to First Minister (where was the remark "He can call himself the Grand Druid but he will never be First Minister" from B Wilson, former resident of Cardiff), demanding another devolution act and doing a deal with the Nats i.e Plaid.
Carwyn has been continuing this direction since he took over - demanding tax powers, borrowing powers, legal system, declaring the Welsh Assembly government the Welsh Government etc.
As for the opponents of a separate Welsh system they contend that the shared system has served Wales well, it will be expensive, against EU law (as it breaks up the "common market for legal services) and is a conspiracy to make all Welsh courts bi-lingual. I also saw an accusation that it is a conspiracy to reintroduce the medieval law code of the Welsh ruler Hywel Da scrapped by that great justice figure Henry VIII.
Thanks for your post and apologies for the delay in publishing it.
DeleteI'm not really up on Welsh politics and I'm not a member of the Welsh Labour Party so can neither comment nor defend them.
Sorry.