Monday, October 31, 2011

Glasgow University product Liam Fox wants a return back to the front bench after the Adam Werritty scandal, what happened to integrity David Cameron?















Dear All

When Liam Fox resigned over the Adam Werritty, scandal you could be mistaken for thinking that he was doing the right thing.

In politics, it appears that there is a new standard of conduct, resigning to kill press coverage, once the heat dies down then come out and carry on as normal.

Dr. Liam Fox is a Glasgow University product and as such, the former defence secretary Liam said he was ready to make a ‘frontline comeback’.

It has been less than three weeks after he was forced to quit.

Fox is a truly pathetic individual and David Cameron would be ‘off his rocker’ if he allowed Fox back into the Cabinet.

It would send out the wrong message.

Add to it Fox isn’t a talent.

He isn’t a visionary.

Gaffe prone, limited vision and no sense of honour, typical of a certain section of the Glasgow University class.

Speaking for the first time since his resignation, Dr Fox said he would "certainly like to return to the front bench" but conceded the timing of a possible ministerial comeback was "another matter".

So, when is the right time to ‘sneak’ back in and to what?

Fox wants back to the trough; perhaps he thinks he has some moral right.

The report by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell also found there had been an "inappropriate and unacceptable" blurring of lines between official and personal relationships between Dr Fox and Werritty.

They met 22 times in Whitehall and 18 times on trips abroad.

I think many people would conclude that Werritty set himself up as a channel to Liam Fox which defence contractors and others involved in the defence industry would use thereby opening up a possible revenue stream for Werritty in his business.

This story shows again who pathetic those at the top actually are.

Fox is gone and she should stay gone.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Met officers allegedly 'received £20,000 bribes from private detectives', what happened to our country that it turned so rotten?















Dear All

It is not unreasonable to expect nothing more than absolute loyalty from our Police Forces in the way they execute their jobs.

However, society is collapsing under unfairness, inequality and corruption, this has infected the Police.

Scotland Yard is investigating claims that its officers took bribes.

And in return, they leaked sensitive information from an ongoing criminal investigation.

This shocking revelation is being picked over by anti-corruption detectives who have launched a probe into allegations that serving Met officers were paid by private investigators.

The private detectives were working for an international politician.

Documents sent to the Met are suggesting that a high-profile figure hired investigators to obtain information on a police investigation into his business affairs.

The papers Met officers £20,000 were bought off and released inside information that helped his defence lawyers.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said:

"We received a complaint alleging that illegal payments had been made to police officers for information (unconnected to phone hacking or the media). The Directorate of Professional Standards referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and they have agreed to supervise a DPS investigation into the allegations."

This falls on top of the already toxic investigation running in the Met regarding officers who received illegal payments from the Murdoch media empire for private information on the royal family.

In the past, the Police and the Press have worked closely together for mutual benefit but somewhere down the line, the relationship went bad.

Extremely bad, and we have a situation were we can’t trust our own Police Force, the leaking of information is so serious that prosecutions are needed if allegations are proven by the acquiring of evidence.

When the Murdoch scandal blew in the face of News International, the fallout was also claiming the scalps of two senior Met officers, Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and Assistant Commissioner John Yates.

The Labour Party has done well, for them this is a great scandal, Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, has had a lift up several levels in the eyes of the public.

He said:

"This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and [private investigators] that have emerged in recent months."

Adding:

The inquiry was launched after leaked invoices, seen by this newspaper, showed private investigators billed the politician for information from police. One £5,000 payment was allegedly made to a source for information "on forthcoming strategy to be deployed by police. The Standard understands this was a named Met police detective. Another invoice shows the agency billed the politician £700 for a four-hour meeting about "eliciting feedback... during earlier police interviews".

It seems that the Met has a lot of questions to answer about this affair and were the money trail leads, for the moment the alleged corrupt police officers, the international politician and the private detective agency but cannot name them for legal reasons.

But I suspect that in due course, this will hit the headlines, and if guilty those officers who took bribes should be prosecuted, dismissed from the service and handed down prison sentences.

We need our institutions to have total public confidence, unfortunately, like politicians trust has fallen to a new low.

The reason, the wrong people keep getting into power, and the result is nothing gets done, the service provided is second rate at best and the institutions actively work against the people they were set up to serve and protect.

Its stinks!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Friday, October 28, 2011

THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS - HQ Trailer ( 1992 )

20 Labour Councillors are sacked in massive Glasgow Council clear-out as SNP and Labour square up for the big bun fight in 2012!




















Dear All

The Glasgow City Council Election 2012 will be a very serious affair, whoever wins this city will possibly decide whether Scotland will go and vote for independence.

Across the river from my place is the trendy west end of Glasgow where a ‘bun fight’ is taking place for the Hillhead seat following the tragic death of George Roberts, the SNP Councillor.

It will probably be the last test before the big fight in May 2012.

If the SNP’s Ken Andrew gets a win, it puts the SNP in pole position for their campaign.

On the other hand if Labour wins, then some serious thinking will have to be done by whoever is running the SNP Campaign.

Generally when a sitting Councillor passes away, the by-election usually means a person from the incumbent party gets in from my experience.

How serious are Labour to hold the city of Glasgow?

They have put 20 Councillors to the sword.

The wave of political sackings at Scotland’s largest council has been mindblowing in scale.

That has seen potential Labour dissidents and deselected veterans also removed from key posts.

The purge in the ruling Labour administration at Glasgow City Council has been extremely bitter as the drive to replace the deadwood was driven by party HQ.

Quite simply, the job of representing the people by some Labour Councillors has been poor, I would say very poor.

And they deserved to be sacked.

In some ways this is a pity for the SNP as it would have been better to fight incompetents with such a poor record.

Now, they have to fight a brand new shiny ‘A team’ as Labour are marketing themselves as to the masses.

The Labour party is said to want to put the strongest possible team against the SNP in order to hold their current number of seats.

I expect the SNP to gain seats, how many will depend on many factors, the state of the economy and the various strategies deployed in the Wards.

People who got the chop are east end councillors Andy Muir and Euan McLeod, close friends of former leader Steven Purcell.

Both of these people recently appeared as extras in a BBC drama.

Axed from Strathclyde Police Authority, while Mr Muir has lost his role as vice-chairman of the licensing board and Mr McLeod was removed from a similar role on planning.

Shaukat Butt of Ward 5, Govan has been sacked as chairman of Glasgow Community Safety Services after being charged with assaulting his wife.

He was also removed from Cosla’s community safety group.

Other casualties kicked out include veterans Pat Chalmers, Jim McNally, the suspended Ruth Black and Irfan Rabbani.

Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council said:

“There should be no doubt about Glasgow Labour’s intention to win the local government election in May. No-one takes success for granted.”

Because there is a lot more at stake than just the council, it could determine the independence referendum.

There is a lot at stake.

The fight has already started in Hillhead as Ken Andrew treads the boards as the SNP Candidate.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

George Laird gets taken to task by reader over justice stance, a person is innocent until proven guilty, even a Labour politician such as Ian Davidson













Dear Edna Caine

This is a human rights blog.

In the case of Ms. Whiteford and Mr. Davidson there is a principle which I uphold which is innocent until proven guilty.

That judgment must be made by an independent third party such as the Westminster authorities, if Ms. Whiteford is taking this further, or to another third party charged with dispensing justice, that would also be appropriate.

“I still think your article is unsupportive of Ms. Whiteford”.

If her allegation is true then she would have my support 100%.

However, given I have different versions either of which I cannot verify; it would go against what I believe in by rushing to judgment on such a serious issue.

She is in the same party as me but I will not disregard law and due process, it may be politically expedient if I wish to ingratiate myself with party bosses because I have put myself forward as a potential candidate for Glasgow City Council election, and jump on the bandwagon.

However, I am sure that Ms. Whiteford would have absolutely no respect for me if I declared Ian Davidson guilty without due process having taken place, just because I want to be a SNP Council Candidate.

Without due process society disintegrates to the will of mob, the very thing that I hope Ms. Whiteford fights against, at least I hope she does.

Imagine this as a scenario, you are taken to court, I am on the jury, would you expect me to find you guilty on the basis an allegation was made?

Or would you expect me to give you a fair trial?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Italian MPs go the ‘full boona’ and swap punches and trade insults in Italian parliament over pension reforms, brawl in front of children!















Dear All

Rioting!

We are seeing the continual breakdown of society as the political have run out of ideas, except one.

Prop up the banks which are effectively killing countries in debt.

Riots in Greece, riots in Britain and a wave of activism in America and elsewhere as ordinary people click that their ‘representatives’ don’t serve them but the banks.

Tensions are rising, a storm is coming as the banking system is going to collapse; Greece is going to default on its debts that will ripple through the entire EU.

Across the road in sunny Italy, rising tensions in Italy's parliament came to a head as MPs brawled.

The Italians are like Greece heading towards the point of no return for financial meltdown.

More and more money is being pumping into a financial black hole with no benefit.

At the helm controversial prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

He has his own problems as he frantically tried to convince Europe he can save the country.

So, in the parliament, a punch up erupted as MPs from the Northern League took on members of the opposition FLI party headed by Berlusconi's former ally Gianfranco Fini.

Gianfranco Fini had enough of sleazy Berlusconi following his numerous sex scandals.

It seems that Berlusconi still thinks he is between 21 and 35 years old, jet set playboy with plenty of cash and power.

To set the ball rolling the Northern League MPs saw red after Fini appeared on Italian TV to discuss Berlusconi's proposed pension reforms, which he had agreed with Northern League leader Umberto Bossi allegedly in return for the prime minister to step down in January and make way for elections.

Speaking on a popular political show Fini had ridiculed Bossi and said that 'everyone knows his wife retired at 39'.

In politics, the unwritten rule is that people’s families are strictly off limits.

This outburst prompted heckling in parliament from supporters of both men and which eventually led to blows being exchanged in amazing scenes.

Marco Reguzzoni accused Fini of 'scandalous behaviour' and once he had finished speaking Claudio Barbaro of the FLI and Fabio Rainieri of the League squared up to each other and started trading punches as colleagues dived in to pull them apart.

At one point both men had grabbed each other by the throat as two other MPs also tried to join in and the brawl was eventually broken up by ushers.

Deputy speaker Rosy Bindi was forced to suspend the session for several minutes until calm returned.

Unfortunately, the Speaker was also forced to apologise to a group of children who were in parliament to see how MPs worked.

Well now they know.

Deputy speaker Rosy Bindi said to the children:

“I'm sorry you have had to see this very unedifying spectacle.”

Expect more unrest and riots, the occupy group spring up everywhere will lead to civil unrest and when the Euro collapses due to no more money being available and austerity goes to far, expect real trouble.

If you have any savings then buy Gold and Silver, FIAT money is collapsing and the rumour of China moving towards a gold backed Renminbi (RMB) will maybe prove to be a tipping point.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

World famous Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University pulls in the big names keen to hear the George Laird view, 8k to 10k a month now!















Dear All

Every so often, I like to do through who is visiting the world famous Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University website.

So, here is a sample of my high profile visitors who all want to know the George Laird view.

Natural Environment Research Council (192.171.155.127)
Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group (80.177.176.190)
University Of Glasgow (130.209.113.102)
City Of Glasgow College (195.194.195.241)
Anniesland College (195.194.215.249)
University Of Essex (155.245.59.64)
University Of Glasgow (130.209.117.147)
The University Of Plymouth (141.163.216.21)
London Borough Of Redbridge (80.5.88.48)
City Of Edinburgh District Council (193.39.158.203)
The University Of Reading, Uk (134.225.227.40)
Apo, Armed Forces Europ, United States (203.91.135.100)
University Of Abertay Dundee (193.60.168.65)
Iat Group Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (69.166.133.180)
Pricewaterhousecoopers Gts Uk (164.143.240.34)
University Of Strathclyde (130.159.215.66)
Scottish Parliament (193.164.162.124)
British Broadcasting Corporation (132.185.240.124)
Dundee College (194.82.177.16)
British Broadcasting Corporation (132.185.144.124)
University Of Glasgow (130.209.105.51) Publicity department spying
Mcmaster University Canada (130.113.193.227)
Royal Bank Of Scotland (155.136.80.80)
Halifax & Bank Of Scotland (194.75.129.200)
Stow College (195.194.204.251)
City Of Glasgow College (195.194.196.53)
University Of East Anglia (139.222.217.25)
Bolton School (194.83.69.124)
Leicester College (212.219.188.4)
Northampton College (212.219.39.170)
University Of Wales, Aberystwyth (144.124.45.17)

It seems that despite blogging for a relatively short time, I am averaging between eight thousand to ten thousand visitors a month.

Which is not bad, my first year, only ten thousand people wandered by, and I have plans for improvements to not only improve the blog but also increase my profile in the Glasgow area.

Not bad for a guy with no money, no resources and no help, its time I took blogging seriously.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Ian Davidson apologises for 'doing' remarks made to SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford, SNP refuse to sit on Scottish Select Affairs Committee














Dear All

After the ‘rammy’ at the Scottish Affairs Select Committee, Ian ‘the Deerhunter’ Davidson, the chair has apologised for using the word "doing" towards a fellow member.

Perhaps he might wish to make a formal apology to Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Eilidh Whiteford as well.

Davidson said his use of the word was "unacceptable."

He is correct; you cannot go round threatening people in formal proceedings or indeed anywhere else.

Despite the apology, he has still insisted he had not threatened Eilidh Whiteford.

Davidson had told her she would be "getting a doing" if details of a private discussion were leaked to the media.

Ms. Whiteford has withdrawn from the Scottish Affairs Committee and the SNP aren’t going to replace her until Davidson steps down as chair.

This will not happen and in politics opposition members such as Davidson rarely do anything asked by their opponents.

And the SNP and Scottish Labour aren’t the best of friends.

Davidson’s version of the incident told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme was that after a number of MPs on the committee had reprimanded Dr Whiteford for her behaviour, he had said words "along the lines of 'you've been given a doing, now let's move on'".

The member for Glasgow South West stated:

"It referred, past tense, to the discussion that had taken place. There was no suggestion that was a threat for the future."

So, would Ian Davidson sacrifice his political career to inflict physical violence on Ms. Whiteford?

I find that difficult to believe that someone as money oriented as Davidson is going to give up his cash flow from the public purse.

The Labour MP said:

"She had been rebuked quite severely for misbehaviour, led off by myself, a number of other people came in and said what she had done was unacceptable, they were very unhappy with it. I then stepped in and felt that the discussion had gone far enough, said that 'you've had a doing, let's move on to the next item'. I want to make it very clear, I did not at any time threaten or attempt to threaten Dr Whiteford. What I said was referring to the past 'you have had a doing', and I apologise subsequently for the word 'doing' because somebody said to me that's capable of misinterpretation."

However, in politics he was politically incorrect for using the word ‘doing’ during a session which he was chairing.

Another example of being politically incorrect is using the word ‘manpower’ to describe people working as activists.

You have to use the word ‘human resources’.

Dr Whiteford told Good Morning Scotland:

"All this stuff about semantics and past tense is just another attempt to try to excuse and justify his behaviour."

Davidson has refused to resign; this has prompted Ms. Whiteford to call on Labour Party bosses to take "decisive action" against him.

I don’t think that the Labour Party will do anything decisive or otherwise, in politics, its all about do you have the correct status.

If you don’t then you are treated differently.

Ms. Whiteford still has the option of going to the Police; hopefully she will file a complaint to send out a strong message that the victims of alleged crime should speak up.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Glasgow Pollok Man who touched himself while staring at teenage girls banned from buses, anyone fancy canvassing him for Glasgow Council Election?












Dear All

There are some weird people walking about the place.

Take Gordon Trussler for example, 60 years old and banned from using public transport for six months.

What did he do?

Well, Mr. Trussler was caught on camera touching his groin up on a bus while staring at a 15-year-old girl.

The girl using some quick thinking filmed him on her mobile phone during the incident in Glasgow on April 13, before showing the footage to police.

Police tracked him down, arrested him and prosecuted him.

Trussler, of Pollok, Glasgow, pled guilty at an earlier hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court to breaching the peace by rubbing his groin over his clothes while staring at one girl and by touching himself in the presence of another.

The Court sentenced him to a three year community payback order.stuck him on the sex offenders register and he must take in a community based group for sex offenders and cannot use public transport for six months.

In the old days, you could get on public transport and just enjoy the ride, not now.

Using public transport isn’t an enjoyable experience, noise, drunks, druggies, people trying to get on using fake or out of date tickets, people smoking despite the ban and now sexual perverts getting their jollies while being chauffeured about the place.

I was on a bus in July 2010 when a woman took a heart attack which I blogged on, the bus pull over, half the people done a runner, the driver stood with his hands in his pockets, the rest of the passengers remained in their seats as two people put her on the floor.

Realising that no one was going to help her, I jumped up and started CPR until the ambulance arrived.

Out of circa 25 people, I was the only one to act.

We live in a society falling apart, were standards are just buzz words to fool the gullible.

Passing sentence Sheriff John Beckett QC told Trussler:

"I don't know why you did these things but what you did was disgraceful conduct in a public place involving in both cases young people."

One can only wonder what his neighbours in Pollok must think.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

SNP MP Dr. Eilidh Whiteford withdraws from Commons Scottish Affairs Committee after alleged ‘threat’ by Labour MP Ian ‘the Deerhunter’ Davidson
















Dear All

There is never a dull moment in politics, it’s a nasty vicious game populated by nasty vicious self serving people.

The latest revelation is that an SNP MP called Dr Eilidh Whiteford has stood down from a parliamentary committee after accusing its chairman, Ian ‘the Deerhunter’ Davidson of threatening and intimidating her.

Allegedly Ms. Whiteford said Ian Davidson made remarks about her “getting a doing” during a private session of the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster.

Such was the shock that Ms. Whiteford has stepped down from the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee.

In response to the alleged ‘threat’, the SNP has said it will not put up another MP to sit on the committee.

They want Ian Davidson, the chairman to step down, this isn’t going to happen, and if anyone is naïve to think so, they are just stupid.

The unfortunate departure of Ms. Whiteford of the SNP means that it will be only the Labour MPs who will defend the Scottish people.

After the row escalated Labour sources hit back last night by flinging in the accusation that the incident had the “hallmarks of an SNP ambush”.

They also questioned why Ms Whiteford waited almost a week to make her complaint.

I would like to know that since Ms. Whiteford is claiming she was threatened, has she made a formal complaint to the Police.

If this is a genuine complaint, I would expect as a minimum a complaint to the Police.

In defending Davidson of sorts, other members of the committee said they were “surprised” at the allegations as they did not recall hearing such a remark.

This would tend to suggest that in the event of a Police investigation, it may prove incredibly difficult to gather enough evidence to proceed.

As for internal support from the rest of the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee that appears to be lacking, totally lacking.

Simon Reevell, the MP for Dewsbury, and a Conservative member of the committee, said he couldn’t remember the alleged incident.

He added:

“I was quite surprised at the allegation because I wasn’t aware of anything being said at the time.”

Jim McGovern, the Labour MP for Dundee and another member of the committee, also said he did not recall such a remark being made.

A spokesman for Scottish Labour said:

“We will look carefully at these allegations and make a full statement later.”

A Labour source added:

“It is reprehensible. This has all the hallmarks of a smear campaign. This is the third time the SNP has called for Ian Davidson to resign. Ever since the committee started its investigation into the independence referendum, and began asking hard questions, they have been desperate to discredit him.”

I find it interesting that the Labour Party at this present time is talking about SNP smear campaigns.

And I am sure that First Minister Alex Salmond, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Chief Executive, Peter Murrell and Ian McCann; Corporate Governance & Compliance Manager will be taking a close interest in this as they would with anyone who has been a victim of a SNP smear campaign.

I would expect Ms Whiteford to file a complaint with the Police if this is a genuine complaint.

To further highlight the nasty nature of politicians, here is a story from the Westminster 2010 campaign.

Glasgow Councillor:

“Why aren’t you doing ballot box sampling?”

Activist:

“Don’t I do enough work for the party”?

Glasgow Councillor:

“I have been up for three days working from 8 am to 12 am, so don’t give me any of your fucking crap”!

Yes, politics is a nasty enterprise populated with thoroughly nasty, petty malicious people.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Tricky - Makes Me Wanna Die

What is the date for Scottish independence referendum, try early May 2014, are there enough human resources on the ground available to win it?












Dear All

There is much confusion on when the independence referendum will take place in Scotland.

Rumours keep spreading that Westminster will bring forward the issue but that looks at present unlikely.

So, when is the date?

Well, I would suggest the date is between March to June 2014.

If pushed I would go for Thursday, 8th May 2014.

Why, this date?

Quite simple, logistics can’t sustain a campaign beyond 2014 because other elections such as Westminster need to be addressed.

And that campaign needs at least a full year, if there is a no vote.

No one with any sense will run the referendum during the Westminster campaign because it would be seen as complete hypocrisy and as a show of no faith in the independence cause.

If the independence referendum is lost, its business as usual for the various independence parties for Westminster seats then!

So, the campaign has to be short because the independence parties don’t have the human resources on the ground.

For example if a political branch has 10 members who do activism and they have to do face to face campaigning, we are talking about 30 minute visits, 4 in a work day.

A constituency is about 60,000 people this means that each activist must work 1,500 days.

3 years.

Leafleting is ineffective as 98% of unsolicited mail is chucked straight into the bin.

So, political parties such as Labour, Tories and Lib Dems want to know the date, well try May 8th 2014.

Of course; if the Tory/Lib Dem Govt decide to go on the same day, it will spell problems for those parties who back independence.

They traditionally do very poor when it comes to international politics.

Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University says that Scottish voters are more sophisticated when it comes to Holyrood and Westminster elections.

It is probable that at the same time of the independence referendum, the Tory/Lib Dem Coalition will call a General Election thereby focussing Scottish people’s minds on the international picture.

The Westminster 2010 result will be upper most in the minds of independence parties, despite claims of breakthroughs, they achieved nothing.

So, May 8th 2014 or close to it seems the sensible option.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Nicola Sturgeon backs organ donor campaign, this scheme must be kept purely voluntary, the State doesn’t own your body even in death













Dear All

Nicola Sturgeon has launched a new drive to get Scottish people to sign up to the organ donor register.

The point of organ donation is that such a scheme should and always must remain voluntary.

There is no such thing as involuntary consent.

Ms Sturgeon attended Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary to meet with the parents of a donor and the recipient of an organ donation.

This is standard campaigning, to show that people are willing to donate and the benefits in real terms of a successful donation.

Helen Lang, of Johnstone, Renfrewshire was introduced to Ms Sturgeon as part of the campaign, she benefited from a life-saving liver transplant at the hospital in June.

Other people, Ms Sturgeon spoke to were Brian and Muriel McCabe, whose son Grant died suddenly aged 40.

His organs helped saved the lives of six other people.

The Health Secretary said:

"Last year there were 67 organ donors in Scotland - a rate of 13 donors per million population; up from 9.8 donors per million in 2006-07. Our rate of sign-up to the Organ Donor Register has also hit an all-time high, with 37% of the population signed up to save a life, compared to the UK average of 30%. However, the tragic fact is that more than 600 people in Scotland are still waiting for a life-saving transplant, and across the UK three people die every day because they don't get the organ they need in time."

By raising awareness, it is hoped that more people will sign up to donate their organs in the event of their death.

But people must make the choice voluntary.

The £590,000 campaign will begin today and will run for three weeks throughout November.

It will be a TV, radio and online campaign as people in campaign move away from the traditional leafleting approach which has had its day.

98% of leaflets, unsolicited mail ends up in the bin, leafleting is a complete waste of time in my opinion.

It would be better to do face to face contact as part of a wider campaign.

To sign up for donation, people will be invited to register by phone, text or online.

Professor John Forsythe, lead clinician for organ donation in Scotland and consultant transplant surgeon at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, said:

"The more people we have on the register, the better the chance of saving lives."

Campaigns such as organ donation should be treated in the same manner as blood donation, run all year round.

How successful this campaign will be remains to be seen but it must be considered a step in the right direction.

Health is a year long concern and such campaigns must be treated as such, three weeks isn’t enough.

In future, maybe the NHS Scotland will realise this, and market more effectively.

There are too many causes going the rounds that better planning is needed to address this year round problem.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Monday, October 24, 2011

Paul McBride QC calls for jury reform, he wants to know personal details of jurors history including employment, Fuck off McBride














Dear All

I have little time for Paul McBride QC.

However he does have a point that jurors should be made to sit tests before being selected for trials.

At present anyone can be a juror, even if they can’t read, write or reason, there are exceptions of people who can be excused from juror duty because of their profession or past conduct.

An educated juror could improve the judicial system.

Question is what should a juror need?

Well, I would suggest commonsense.

Paul McBride said potential jurors should be interviewed to establish they can “read, write and speak English.”

However in his analysis, he disguises his real reason that they maybe “riven with prejudice”.

Unfortunately, if the jury service isn’t careful then people who simply don’t wish to serve will certainly say things to disbar them.

The only requirement to serve on a jury in Scotland is that a person should be over the age of 18, be registered to vote and have lived in the UK for five years.

Something that McBride says as a measure is certainly not on, he want potential jurors to be forced to disclose their occupation.

None of your fucking business McBride!

Is it, that there are worthy jurors and unworthy jurors?

Is that what McBride is trying to introduce?

And another point, which is none of the State’s business is asking a juror if they have been a victim of crime.

Again none of his fucking business or the State!

He said Scotland’s jury system, in which 15 people can reach a decision on a majority of 8-7, made reform even more important.

Prompting his gripe is the jury’s not proven verdict in the case of Hearts fan John Wilson.

Wilson ran onto the pitch and was seen to grapple with Neil Lennon, the Celtic Manager.

The jury cleared Wilson of assault despite the fact he said he did it.

In other words they chose, not to believe the word of idiot, in this case, the accused.

That is the right of a jury.

It is for them to determine guilt or innocence.

The problem with that case was the furore regarding sectarianism which was fuelled by certain people.

The Crown Office pandering to the ‘will’ of people who stay out of law was to charge Wilson with a sectarian breach of the peace.

The jury threw that out, not willing to be used as political pawns in a court case.

If I was sitting on that jury, I might have come to the same conclusion.

John Wilson is just an idiot, that’s all.

And as an idiot, he deserved to be put in prison for his stupid act but he is still entitled to a fair trial and he is still entitled to be tried by fair minded people.

McBride on reform said:

“The question is, ‘can we improve our jury system?’ and the answer is undoubtedly yes. This is an area that lawyers have been discussing for some time. Judges and lawyers undergo a high standard of training. The only area where there is no scrutiny at all on the people who actually make the decision, which is baffling. You don’t have to be able to read or write or speak English".

McBride added:

“We have got 15 people deciding whether a person is guilty and we know nothing about them”.

Why should he know someone’s history?

They are not on trial; do we know the history of the judge?

Do, we get to know the history of the Police, Court staff and lawyers?

No, we don’t.

McBride continuing:

“In Scotland, unlike any other country on the planet, a person can be convicted by one vote. Following the Lennon verdict a lot of people, and newspapers were asking about the selection process for juries. In every other country there is some kind of jury selection process to determine whether they have got the basic skills and whether they have committed a crime. A lot of trials are conducted by police statements. If a member of the jury can’t read or speak English that’s a bit of a disadvantage.”

McBride goes to the lowest common denominator to ‘enhance’ his argument which has some merit in that juries prior to trial should at least have some amount of commonsense.

The problem is that there is little commonsense going the rounds even among the ‘educated’.

An idea by McBride was to use the system adopted in America were lawyers use the voir dire system to question jurors.

Check out, the movies The Devil’s Advocate starring Keanu Reeves to see this and also My Cousin Vinnie starring Joe Pesci.

McBride then gets nasty when he says:

“It is supposed to be a jury of peers but you tend to find that most are unemployed or retired because employed people often get out of jury duty It is not a jury of peers.”

Is this clown saying the unemployed and retired opinions are worth less?

Yes, what a fucking arsehole he truly is.

A jury should be given some sort of training which I would support but society needs to draw from all sections in order to get a broad spectrum of views.

Commonsense is the key.

As for knowing the personal details of the jury McBride, that is none of your fucking business.

Will juries get to use the voir dire system to see if they are prepared to accept defence lawyers such as McBride?

Wanker!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Keizer Report- on worsening Global Financial crisis

Reports surface that Colonel Gaddafi is killed, died of wounds after being shot with a rifle, Libyans denied a trial
















Dear All

It must come as no surprise that Colonel Gaddafi is dead, the question was when.

It has been announced that Colonel Gaddafi has been killed near Sirte, his home town.

Now, there will be no trial.

Through-out the Middle East there is a pattern developing, leaders who are dictators aren’t tried in a Court of Law; they are simply killed.

NTC military chief Bel Haj has confirmed that Colonel Gaddafi died of wounds which were sustained during his capture.

Gaddafi’s corpse has already been delivered to Misrata, according to Al Arabiya.

TV footage allegedly showing anti-Gaddafi fighters dragging his body has popped up on Al Jazeera’s English Channel.

The NTC Fighters claim that Gaddafi was shot dead in his lower body from a rifle.

If you look at the picture, then the face and blanket would tend to suggest more than this.

And in a grave insult, one fighter is said to have hit Gaddifi with his shoe, which is regarded as a grave insult in the Arab world.

The Colonel’s son Motassim is also said to have been captured in the fallen stronghold of Sirte.

An NTC commander claims he is also dead.

This probably means that everyone of Gaddifi’s family may suffer a similar fate from National Transitional Council who claims to support human rights.

It must be just coincidence that these people are getting shot upon capture.

NTC leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil will address the Libyan nation shortly and NTC Deputy Chairman Ghoga is expected to announce the liberation of all of Libya within hours.

I think although Gaddifi was a bad man, the next people to run Libya will be in the pocket of the big corporations.

Just like Afghanistan, Libya will slide into being a corrupt country.

And the lives of the people will not change for the better.

According to Reuters, Gaddafi was wounded and captured near Sirte while trying to flee in a convoy.

The convoy was allegedly attacked by NATO.

A NATO official says the alliance is checking reports of Gaddafi's capture.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said that the war in Libya is “over.”

The European Union said in a statement that the death of Muammar Gaddafi marks the “end of era despotism.”

A rather bold statement!

US White House officials say they are monitoring the reports but cannot confirm Gaddafi’s status.

One thing at present is there is a lot of confusion, a Libyan government fighter says Gaddafi was hiding in a hole in Sirte, shouting "don't shoot, don't shoot."

Which begs the question, if he was surrendering how did he end up dead?

On Tuesday, during her visit to Libya, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she hoped Muammar Gaddafi would be captured or killed.

This is a disgraceful statement as by saying that she hoped Gaddifi was killed flies in the face of international law.

Is Gaddifi dead?

That is certain but the effect of social media in getting such a powerful message out so quickly cannot be ignored.

In war, one of the new battle fronts is the World Wide Web, it is a tool used by government and their agencies to shape public opinion.

It is as much a battle ground as boots on soil.

Pro-Gaddafi media denies the reports that the colonel has been killed as “nothing but rumors.”

According to Al-Libiya television website, Muammar Gaddafi “is in good health.”

The news outlet also warns against fake pictures of a slain Gaddafi that have appeared in the internet.

The War in Libya isn’t over, but what kind of Libya will rise from the ashes, who will control it and importantly where will the oil wealth go?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Doctors back organ donation scheme that sees bodies ripped apart for spare parts, SNP to debate issue at Conference, current system is safeguard




















Dear All

Every so often, the issue of an organ donation scheme pops up.

Doctors have backed plans for a scheme that could see organs taken from dead bodies without the deceased’s prior consent.

It is called legalised theft and violation of the dead.

If you don’t want to be violated then you have to register your wish to have your body kept intact.

If you don’t you will be surgically ripped apart!

Your eyeballs hacked out of your head, skin peeled off, kidneys, liver, lungs and bone all removed.

The corpse given to your already grieving family to bury!

Does this mean the end of open casket funerals?

The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland is in favour of a “soft opt-out” approach that would mean family members would be consulted on the wishes of dead relatives.

Their support comes as a motion in favour of a Government consultation on an opt-out system is expected to be heard at next week’s SNP conference.

A spokesman for BMA Scotland said:

“The BMA encourages debate that looks towards a soft opt-out system for organ donation. We know there is public support for a change in the system and believe a soft opt-out system would reflect the views of the majority. Unless an individual had registered an objection to donating their organs, or if the family were aware of an objection, the default position would be to donate. Creating this kind of system will allow the wishes of the individual to be taken into account and increase the number of organs available for transplant.”

And to be clear, we will see people who don’t consent by ‘accident’ having their organs lifted by ‘mistake’.

The only safeguard to stop the butchery of an innocent person after death is to retain the current system of opt in.

It is the start of an organ harvesting programme in Scotland which will possibly see doctors sit on the fence as they wait for some people to die for parts.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Palestinians claim victory as Israel agrees to free 1,000 prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit captured 5 years ago, where’s the peace deal?
















Dear All

The case of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Gaza’s Islamist rulers five years ago is to have a happy ending.

He is to be swopped for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in an exchange.

The length of time taken to free him was simply unacceptable.

Part of the cause is the less and then sterling performance of Israel in not recognising that the lack of proper civil administration and institutions in Gaza is a real problem.

If they was proper civil government helped by the Israelis to flourish then people like Gilad Shalit wouldn’t have been held for so long!

The Israeli government approved the deal following a three-hour debate after which both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal announced the agreement in televised comments.

Mr Netanyahu said Schalit would return home within days.

Mr Mashaal, portraying the agreement as a victory, said the Palestinian prisoners would be freed in two stages over two months.

In this case, both sides will declare a victory; the Israelis will have boosted their government approval among the people and Hamas gets a good deal at 1,000 to 1.

After the celebrating is over and the cameras move on, there isn’t a victory.

There isn’t peace.

And unless Israeli grasps the nettle of backing Hamas institutions and civil government in general, there will be more Gilad Shalit incidents.

Mr Netanyahu said:

“There is built-in tension between the desire to return a kidnapped soldier... and the need to preserve the security of the citizens of Israel. I believe we reached the best deal that we can reach at this time, a stormy time in the Middle-East.”

Another start is to replace Tony Blair.

He is useless.

Add to this the Israelis need to establish a dedicated team with power to make deals to get Gaza established as a proper functioning city.

At present, it’s a pile of rubble and while it remains so, the people of Gaza will continue to put little pressure on Hamas to reform.

Given people clear water, power, a functioning city and pressure will come; no one is going to accept people setting up rocket sites in their backyard if law and order is established.

Civil government produces results.

For selfish reasons, the Israelis should rebuild Gaza by whatever means.

Genuine help to solve genuine problems.

Israelis need to think long term on what they are doing.

I am happy for his parents that Gilad is coming home safe.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Max Keizer and Stacy Herbert on Keizer Report, this week is a great show, as it highlights that Government is run for the benefit of the banks!

Former SNP Leader Gordon Wilson demands a Referendum on gay marriage; you don’t have referendums on people accessing services provided by the State!












Dear All

I have to say that I am surprised that a former leader of the SNP has urged the Scottish Government to hold a referendum on the proposed introduction of same-sex marriage.

It isn’t necessary.

Why?

Because the Scottish Government can simply legislate to allow same sex couples to have the right of civil marriage as other couples.

On this, it is an equality issue, straight forward and simple as that.

A referendum isn’t required.

There is no such thing as having a public vote so that people can access the same human rights under provisions organised by the State such as marriage.

Gordon Wilson says that allowing same-sex partners to marry was of "such a destructive nature to Scottish society" it should be subject to a public vote.

Human rights don’t work that way.

People are entitled to equal treatment by the State.

Wilson was in charge of the Nationalists from 1979 to 1990.

Presently, he is chairman of the Christian-based faith group Solas.

He and the group's director, the Rev David Robertson want a referendum because of the Scottish Government's consultation on the thorny issue!

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon is said to favour the introduction of same-sex marriage.

Last month she launched the consultation and said ministers "tend towards the view that same-sex marriage should be introduced".

But Mr Wilson and Rev Robertson argued:

"By issuing this consultation, the Scottish Government has effectively lit the blue touch paper."

This is premature of Mr. Wilson and Rev Robertson, because they must surely believe in equality of access to State service.

Civil Marriage is a State provided service.

However, they want politicians to "let well alone and leave the status quo in place", warning them:

"You attack the essential building block of society at your peril."
Rather than continue with a "headlong rush to redefine marriage", Solas urged ministers to "stop and reflect that in fact this is a major step which has potentially extremely destructive consequences".

I believe that same sex civil marriage will pass through Holyrood and become law; the argument is one of equality under the State.

As to extending this to same sex religious marriage that is entirely different in nature because the Catholic Church won’t allow same sex marriage in a Catholic Church.

I can’t see the Church of Scotland allowing this either.

And I am pretty sure that the Glasgow Central Mosque won’t be holding Muslim gay marriage any time soon.

On the issue of the Catholic Church, the Pope speaks for the Catholic Church, not individual Priests on this matter.

And the answer is no.

Given that this is a matter of conscience, the SNP wouldn’t be able to present a united front.

SNP MSP John Mason has already made his thoughts clear.

There is no human right to marry in a Church; Priests cannot be forced to marry same sex couples.

Therefore any law enacted is entirely meaningless because it requires consent.

You can’t exercise a human right by trampling on the human rights of others.

So, Gordon Wilson and Rev David Robertson can sleep soundly.

Minor religious groups may sign up to this, but the Catholic Church won’t, the Church of Scotland won’t and neither will the Muslim Community.

I suspect on this matter the people of Scotland will look to the absolute last word on this issue from the Pope as the natural speaker of the Christian world.

The answer is no!

And the Pope’s word is final.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Raemonn Gormley’s death was tragic, Justice needs revamped, it’s not a one man job, Scottish Government needs two Deputy Justice Ministers













Dear All

Knife crime is a bread and butter election issue; however given the significance that political parties attach to such an issue as part of their ‘tough on crime’ stance, nothing to address properly this issue has been undertaken.

Frankly politicians don’t know what to do to deal with people such as those who killed Reamonn Gormley.

So, we get ‘tough after the event’ action, to make up for their inadequacies and to try and direct public opinion.

Some times away from them.

One of the Labour Party’s problems is their phoney knife crime scam.

How do we know it’s a scam?

Ask yourself, how long have they been running it?

The answer is years, and not once have they produced a private member’s bill at Holyrood.

It’s an election gimmick.

And young people like Reamonn Gormley pay the price, he was the type of young man that anyone would be proud to have as a son, bright, intelligent and kind.

His charity work speaks volumes.

Reamonn Gormley was killed by Daryn Maxwell, 23, and Barry Smith, 19, as he walked home with a friend in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.

Maxwell and Smith left society’s values behind, in their minds; they were predators outside society’s norms and acted like such.

Their acts to them were normal; it was how they were brought up.

They weren’t born evil, but grew into it, they in their minds had nothing to lose, no future to speak of, no sense of loss.

Maxwell was on bail at the time when he committed murder.

In order to get release early Maxwell pled guilty to murder at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.

Smith admitted culpable homicide.

By pleading early, they get an automatic reduction in sentence under the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995, section 196 (1).

If they thought they had a chance of beating the case, they would have fought it that is the mindset of these people.

It wasn’t out of any great regard for the family of Reamonn Gormley.
And of course, when the sentencing takes place, expect a plea of mitigation, of how terribly sorry they are and whatever plan their lawyer dreams up.

This will be an act to get a lower sentence.

Labour’s justice spokesman, James Kelly, said:

“What makes this case even more tragic is that it could have been avoided ... People are rightly asking why on earth this violent knife criminal was ever granted bail.”

That is a good question.

Why was a violent knife criminal ever granted bail?

The answer is simple; the entire justice system is in need of radical overhaul.

Radical overhaul!

Unfortunately, there isn't anyone of high enough calibre to take on such a serious task.

It has to be a team effort.

I therefore propose that the Scottish Government appoint two deputy Ministers of Justice to beef up justice.

The deputy ministers would be seconded to special projects only.

The first thing to be tackled is the knife crime problem and the new crime bill.

Punishment for using a knife must be draconian.

Anyone arrested for using a knife, remand, refused bail.

Anyone convicted of stabbing or cutting someone with a knife, automatically sent to prison.

No section 196 (1) provision for weapon offences.

No parole for anyone convicted of using a weapon on someone, they serve the entire sentence of the Court.

The death of Mr Gormley is incredibly tragic; society cannot afford to lose the Reamonn Gormley’s of the world.

Detective Chief Inspector Robbie Allan, the officer in charge of the murder inquiry, said:

“Reamonn was someone who had so much to offer in life. He had a very bright future ahead of him.”

It is time that as part of the reform agenda for Scotland that the problems in the justice portfolio are now tackled.

“When there is crime in society, there is no justice." - Plato.

Therefore we need to make a new start, a new crime bill, writing a law that makes sense.

People like Daryn Maxwell and Barry Smith have to have it spelt out for them clearly, if you use a weapon on someone, you can forget making plans for the rest of your life.

Because we are going to take the vast majority of it off you!

And you will be doing the entire sentence, every day.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Alex Salmond recently in his oath to Parliament said, “My first duty is to the people of Scotland”, Joyce Juszczak needs “miracle drug” eculizumab now













Dear All

The case of Joyce Juszczak, 65, from Gourock, Inverclyde is truly tragic.

She has been denied medication for a blood condition.

If she doesn’t get this medication the disease she has could kill her.

So, she is taking her fight to end a postcode lottery for treatment direct to Nicola Sturgeon.

Joyce Juszczak needs “miracle drug” eculizumab.

This is because of a rare and deadly condition that destroys red blood cells and leaves victims at risk of kidney failure and potentially fatal blood clots.

If Mrs Juszczak isn’t given the drug and no one fights, it will be a scandal.

Despite being infirm and severely weakened by the illness, her daughters Beverley Hardie and Marlyn Milne will provide the physical support she needs to allow her to go to the Scottish Parliament.

She will be sitting in the gallery as Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil questions the Health Secretary about her case.

Pressure shouldn’t to be placed on the Scottish Government as Alex Salmond recently in his oath to Parliament said:

“My first duty is to the people of Scotland”.

I would like to thank the First Minister for that and the future prescription of the drug eculizumab to Mrs Juszczak.

In politics, a person's word is their bond; well it is with me anyway, however I can only speak for myself.

Mrs Juszczak, who suffers from paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) would be getting this drug, if she was living south of the Border.

And recently the Scottish Government has made much about bringing Scotland into line with England.

Kenny MacAskill said that in regarded to the UK Supreme Court.

Mrs Juszczak’s problem is that she failed in her appeal to an NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) panel to prescribe the drug.

She had the unqualified support from her medical consultants.

Unfortunately another patient, William Devine, died within days of receiving a similar rejection letter.

As I said Scotland is a corrupt problem, unaccountable quango people who don’t live in the city of Glasgow are making decisions about the population.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the Scottish National Party to tackle vested interests and bring in sweeping reforms so that the panel of health boards is made up of people actually living in the community.

Consultants have now confirmed to the family that Mrs Juszczak’s symptoms have become more advanced.

She is bleeding more regularly, is left severely fatigued and has difficulty swallowing.

Mrs Juszczak is dying, she needs help.

And she needs help now.

Mrs Juszczak, said:

“I am hoping Ms Sturgeon will have a rethink. We hoped she would intervene, but she passed the buck and I was quite angry about that. I didn’t think I could go to Edinburgh in case I just didn’t feel too good, but my daughters managed to take some time off to help me. I am just very, very fatigued and up during the night in a lot of pain down my left side and down my back. Even when I am having a cup of tea, I have to stop to get my breath. It is quite frightening.”

Quite frightening, it must be difficult to live in fear.

Duncan McNeil said:

“Mrs Juszczak and her family remind us all that this is about more than health outcomes and value for money, this is about real people and the quality of their lives. They are only asking for what anyone else in their position would want, and it seems only bureaucracy is preventing my constituent from receiving treatment that would improve and prolong her life.”

Mrs Juszczak’s condition must be really bad if someone with the limited ability of Duncan McNeil can recognise it.

Mrs Hardie added:

“I just hope that Nicola Sturgeon will end the postcode lottery for healthcare and urge NHSGGC to allow mum access to this vital drug before it’s too late”.

It must be difficult to live in fear.

Experts say eculizumab is a potentially life-saving drug, obviating the need for regular blood transfusions in two-thirds of patients and virtually removing the risk of blood clots, the main killer.

Is anyone going to fight for Joyce Juszczak in the Scottish Government?

I would like to hope that just as First Minister Alex Salmond backed the case of Florence and Precious Mhango, he will act swiftly.

Someone needs to come up with a solution now.

As the person who proposed the Scottish National Police Force to the Scottish National Party on the 4th September 2010, along with the National Fire Service, my idea for the Police will save £1.7 billion over 5 years.

So, let’s save Joyce Juszczak, the Scottish Government has a moral duty to save her.

As Alex Salmond recently in his oath to Parliament said:

“My first duty is to the people of Scotland”.

Good opportunity to prove it.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman slams complaints systems of public bodies, not fit for purpose, when is Holyrood going to give Watchdog more teeth?













Dear All

For some considerable time, I have been saying that Scotland is a corrupt country.

Where’s the proof, you might say?

From the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman!

He says that the way public bodies deal with complaints can be "confusing" and "cumbersome" in too many cases.

In other words the system is deliberately designed to deny justice and make you give up.

In Scotland, the rich protect the rich.

And the working class suffer as a result, all the time.

Ombudsman Jim Martin complained there was a "lack of customer focus in public services".

And he is right, at human rights abusing Glasgow University, there is a total of customer focus in order to protect bullies like Julie Ommer who have a history of preying on poor working class people.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2009/08/glasgow-university-senior-management.html

A detailed example of how the poor are victimised in Scotland even in 2011.

Which political party was prepared to stand up for George Laird?

None!

They prefer to support the rich middle class with status.

Martin made the accusation in his annual report as he called on public-sector organisations to try to meet a "gold standard".

There is no standard other than ass covering at human rights abusing Glasgow University.

However, he said:

"In too many cases, particularly in local authorities and housing associations, complaints systems are confusing, difficult to access, slow, cumbersome and overly bureaucratic."

And a lack of ability to record the complaints of customers particularly in the GHA in Glasgow!

If you complain in person, they don’t make a record of your complaint.

Of the NHS he said they had a "good system in place" and had "at least grasped that a simple system is in everyone's best interest", he added there was still "room for improvement".

In Scotland, health complaints can run into thousands.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) received a total of 3,489 complaints in 2010-11, up from 3,307 the previous year.

Of all the complaints where it was fit for the SPSO to investigate, a total of 34% were upheld either fully or partly.

Martin said:

"To put this another way, in over a third of cases that had already been investigated by the local service provider, through multiple, often lengthy, stages of review and appeal, that provider had got something wrong. This level of upheld complaints is unacceptable and demonstrates that public bodies need to have better processes and policies, and a better culture of valuing complaints to support staff in making the right decision first time round."

And another to that is dealing with the Scottish culture of cronyism.

The report also highlighted the high level of premature complaints; however organisations drag out complaints for lengthy periods in order to delay.

The fact is that too many people don’t do their job properly or want to do their job properly.

And when they do, the result is a sub standard service.

If you want justice in Scotland, you don’t go to your councillor, your MSP or MP unless you are rich or socially connected.

You need money to get justice in Scotland.

This is the state of play 2011.

There are a few politicians which are an exception to the rule.

But we are talking a few.

And they are doing nothing to reform the system by way of legislation.

Having a just cause isn’t enough.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Ian Davidson’s anger over purge of ‘dead wood’ city councillors, is this a sign in political parties, merit doesn't count, ‘does your face fit?'
















Dear All

Ian ‘The Deerhunter’ Davidson is a Glasgow MP, he also may want to be deputy dog of the new improved Labour Party in Scotland.

When he isn’t doing foreign trips to the Cayman Islands and elsewhere; at our expense!

Recently the Labour Party in London has done a purge of some of the Labour Councillors of shame in Glasgow.

It was out with the dead and in with the living.

However, Davidson has condemned his party’s clearout of “dead wood” councillors in Glasgow as a rigged purge which could boost the SNP.

That shows poor judgement on his part as the Labour Party isn’t just sticking in any old tat.

They intend to make a real fight of hanging on to the City of Glasgow, the heart of the Labour Empire in Scotland.

They are facing a challenge from the SNP led by Councillor Allison Hunter currently the SNP Group leader.

Ian Davidson says he was “appalled” at the way hard-working Glasgow councillors had been treated.

Hard working Glasgow Councillors?

Is he talking about the ‘part time’ hard working Glasgow Councillors?

Being a councillor is a full time job because people don’t have part time problems.

The next big scandal to hit Glasgow is the ‘Palio’ scandal, this is the staff of MSPs standing in areas they work, effectively being paid twice to do the same job.

It is as bad a scandal as the Aleo scandal under the Labour Party.

Another interesting point put by Davidson was that some had been dumped because of internal machinations, rather than merit.

In other words he is saying ‘does your face fit?'

You can be the hardest worker in a political party, do the most campaigns, the highest amount of workdays, be reliable, punctual and do every job asked of you in a political party.

And still not get selected.

It really doesn’t come down to merit but rather does your face fit, however political parties who treat people as menials only highlight that a clique operates, a party within a party.

It seems that some Labour Councillors of shame are finding that out.
One thing that people will home in on as the Glasgow 2012 battle for Glasgow will be the ‘middle class’ Councillor elections.

Expect to see a few if any of the working class people being allowed to stand by the main political parties.

Another aspect of the 2012 will be the fact that a considerable number of Councillor Candidates will be people not born in Glasgow.

It seems that Glasgow is being geared up to accept outside rulers.

It is the middle class outsider election.

Almost half of Labour’s 47 councillors in Glasgow face de-selection after a tough vetting process.

Poor performers were weeded out instead of being kicked out with talent to the City Chambers brought in.

Will these people work?

Anyone’s guess!

Many of the de-selected councillors claim the vetting was unfair, legally unsound and biased.

They may have a point, the rules were changed and that is unfair and legally unsound, Glasgow was singled out, however there are reports of other Councils were deadwood resides.

All those who failed vetting will have appeals heard by senior party members next weekend.

How many will win their appeal is open to question.

Ian Davidson, MP for Glasgow South West, will appear in support at the appeals of two councillors, Tommy Morrison and Stephen Dornan.

Dornan is Ward 5, Govan, a key battle ground.

Morrison sits in Ward 3, Greater Pollok.

Davidson said:

“I’m appalled at what has happened.

In Ward 4, Alastair Watson, of the SPT scandal is said to have lived to fight another day.

As had Gilbert Davidson in Ward 15, everyone thought he was for the chop.

And of course, William O’Rourke has survived, which gives political parties ammo to use against him over his comments regarding a little girl allegedly raped.

Cleared by the Standards Commissioner!

If Davidson does stand for deputy dug, he faces Anas Sarwar, although MSPs Lewis Macdonald and Elaine Murray have also put their hats in the ring.

I remember Anas Sarwar when I was a coach of the boxing club at human rights abusing Glasgow University.

He used to tell me about his father’s cash and carry business and how rich the family was, not particularly interesting to an unemployed person with no money, teaching for free.

Councillor Graeme Hendry, the SNP whip on Glasgow City Council, said Mr Davidson’s comments showed “a clear breakdown of trust” within Glasgow Labour.

I can completely understand what Councillor Graeme Hendry means when he talks about “a clear breakdown of trust”.

Trust once broken in a political party doesn’t come back.

But it lets you know who your enemies are.

Sarwar said:

“The selection process needs to take its course. Whatever happens we need to have a strong group of candidates.”

A Scottish Labour spokesman said:

“Being a Labour councillor is not a job for life. No-one should underestimate our determination to field the best possible set of candidates.”

It seems that Glaswegians will have the opportunity to a have a real choice; I will look at each candidate on the basis of merit before I cast my votes because I have already had experience of a bad councillor in Ward 5, Govan.

They won’t be getting the time of day from me, let alone my vote.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Monday, October 3, 2011

Securing the trough, wage bill for university managers soars by a third, at human rights abusing Glasgow University, taxes pay for a corrupt Principal














Dear All

It can’t have escaped your notice that the ordinary working class in Scotland are being continually ripped off for taxes and everything else.

Part of the money collected in taxes goes to pay the obscene salaries of university senior management teams.

Their salaries have risen by a third in five years and we aren’t paying for talent, I should know I spent 20 years at human rights abusing Glasgow University.

We are being ripped off, most Scottish people assume that a ‘Scottish’ university is exactly that, but the only thing Scottish about it are the location and the people employed as menials.

It seems that Scots aren’t good enough to run their own universities.

To counter this discrimination, we are told that we are paying for top talent.

And occasionally we get a Scottish figurehead such as the corrupt former principal of University of Glasgow, Sir Muir Russell.

He led the charge in jacking up his salary despite,

Never having ran a charity
Never having working in the education sector
Never having taught at a university or college
Never ran his own business

However, he was part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, this is the ‘cartel’ that effectively controls Scottish education; its members are everywhere.

When Russell applied for the job, he was vetted by the head of his private club, the Royal Society of Edinburgh who was the external examiner.

Never having ran a charity
Never having working in the education sector
Never having taught at a university or college
Never ran his own business

And he was the best candidate.

When Scotch pervert Muir Russell popped up his salary started heading north pretty quickly.

I found him to be a useless, corrupt old bastard, a stain on the university.

Muir Russell was content to sit back and allow bullying, criminal fraud and discrimination.

Currently he is the Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

So, read this and decide, if a man involved in covering up criminal fraud should be picking judges.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2009/08/glasgow-university-senior-management.html

I think not.

Anyone it seems someone has noticed that total senior management salaries rose from £12 million in 2005 to £16m last year.

We aren’t paying for talent, let’s get that straight.

Lecturers’ union UCU Scotland has compiled damning figures which show management costs were out of control.

Academic staff faced pay freezes and job cuts, and institutions were cutting courses as they attempt to balance the books.

But the trough for senior management ticks on without skipping a beat.

A UCU Scotland spokesman said:

“As the executive has taken over the running of institutions, management teams have grown in size and pay. The vast governing bodies in ancient universities are too large to carry out an effective scrutiny role … In the newer universities they are too small. While academic pursuit is seen as a vocation, management have seen salaries increase as they take over responsibility for running the institution from academics. We believe this relationship has to be rebalanced.”

However forget the notion of the kindly Professor in Cardigan and glasses, there is real scum in academia like Professor Christopher J Gilmore.

A fiend, a bully and a liar, he appears in my fraud document to the University of Glasgow list above.

So, the Scottish Government has announced a review of the way universities are run following warnings over the dictatorial style of principals and senior managers.

Michael Russell, the Education Secretary said a panel would be set up to review governance after concerns from academics and students.

Trouble has been brew for some time at Strathclyde and at the ‘the bay’ as Lecturers have been highly critical of the way their institutions are run concerning proposed cuts to courses and jobs.

Staff are facing jobs cuts and going to the wall while the salaries of principals and their management teams are jacked up with pay increases of up to 7% last year.

The review is being chaired by Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, principal of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

Who like many heading up Scottish Universities isn’t Scottish, it seems the best candidates to run universities aren’t Scots.

Is it because we are too poor, too small minded or too stupid?

UCU Scotland has criticised the make-up of management and suggested governing bodies should have increased representation from the wider community, at human rights abusing Glasgow University, a nugget of a Labour Councillor sits on the Court.

I can’t name them off hand and aren’t willing to look them up, why bother for cannon fodder.

UCU Scotland said:

“All too often the make-up of these bodies is slanted towards business interests ... lay members are predominately from either a business background, or managers and directors in the public sector.”

UCU Scotland does make a valid point in their conclusion that Senate bodies, representing academics, were being “undermined” by management.

They also call for call for committees which nominate principals to have staff and student representatives.

And guidance on the review’s remit from Mr Russell also suggested setting up “supervisory councils”, which could have a say in the appointment of principals.

This has prompted Universities Scotland, the talking shop which represents principals to dismiss the suggestion:

“The appointment of the principal is a key responsibility of the governing body”.

And it might cause people to object to the continuation of appointing Royal Society of Edinburgh breaking the ‘cartel’ they hold in Scottish higher education.

Universities Scotland’s mouth piece is Alastair Sim, he is the new Director, I remember him from Glasgow University; he used the Sports Building which I taught in.

A non entity!

Universities Scotland added:

“Unless the governing body is fully responsible for the appointment, performance management and termination of employment of the principal, it cannot be responsible for the overall effectiveness and good governance of the institution. A supervisory council cannot have a role in this without fundamentally undermining the responsibility and accountability of the governing body.”

So, explain the bullying and discrimination I was subject to at Glasgow University, the University Court like the Senate at Glasgow University is simply ignored and grown toothless.

Will the review do any real good?

It may force universities to change but the reality is the public sector reform needed will have to go a lot further.

There is a number of interconnecting social management networks that need to be dealt with, these people operate like freemasons.

And there is a lack of Scots running Scottish universities; it seems the best candidates by and large will almost never be Scottish.

Why am I not in Court for saying that Anton Muscatelli covered up bullying, discrimination and criminal fraud?

Because I have the documents and its all true.

At Glasgow University, corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli Principal!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University