Friday, November 20, 2009

SNP win Council by-election but they still have to address the Central Scotland Question



















Dear All

The SNP has held the Bo'ness and Blackness seat on Falkirk Council after a by-election caused by the death of Councillor Harry Constable.

The SNP Candidate Ann Ritchie took 58% of the first preference vote, while Labour took 30%, the Conservatives 10% and the Liberal Democrats 3%.

After the disappointment of Glasgow North East a solid Labour stronghold, the win in Bo’ness resulted in a 10% rise in the SNP vote in the area since May 2007.

Although the turn out was low at 23%, it is the job of all political parties to try and increase voter participation in elections so that the people get the best possible candidate to represent them.

Ann Ritchie takes over the work of a very popular SNP councillor Harry Constable; hopefully she will work hard and prove to be an asset to the people of her area.

She said;

"I will work hard to ensure Harry's legacy continues to show that it is the SNP which represents the best interests of ordinary people."

Years ago, I wrote a post on another website, as Tam Dalyell famously put the West Lothian Question about Scottish MPs voting on purely English matters when they had no say on same in Scotland.

The SNP have to address the Central Scotland Question.

The Central Scotland Question is the SNP breaking through in meaningful terms in places like Glasgow.

John Mason has shown it can be done but for it to be done in other areas of Glasgow, the SNP need to adopt different methods than are currently used to win over the people.

The SNP need to put their case more forcefully if they are to win the seats they require in a hung parliament.

Glenrothes and Springburn shows that the SNP need to take a long hard look at what they are doing and who is doing it.

It has to be more professional, more flexible, more localised and more aggressive for the inner cities.

Congratulations to Ann Ritchie for her achievement.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

is it the case that the 'aspirational' message from the SNP is probably right for areas with high student population and working/middle class identities?

I fear that the deprived areas with a greater proportion of OAP's will always follow Labour, many to an early grave.

G Laird said...

Dear Wardog

I think that the SNP have a lot of work to do to make the required breakthrough in central Scotland.

I see you are to be famous in a News of the World piece.

Well done, are they paying a fee?

Or acting under the orders of the British Labour Party (scottish region)?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University