Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Flogging a dead horse even before it is born, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser thinks a Federal UK can solve ‘constitutional stalemate’, it won’t, Scottish people got rid of many Unionist politicians because they were lazy, inept and useless, and they will keep doing so using the SNP as a vehicle to voice their discontent until better people get selected as candidates


















Dear All

One of the ideas which has been floated to ‘solve’ the constitutional problem in the UK is a move to a Federal system.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has been running with this idea for some time, and although, it is interesting, it won’t work.

The Scottish National Party will take any Westminster powers that they can get from the UK Parliament, like a squirrel hoarding nuts, but they won’t use them.

Federalism wouldn’t have stopped people deserting the Unionist parties at the Westminster 2015 election in Scotland and if anyone thought it would have, they are losing the plot.

The collapse of support didn’t just happen overnight, it was set in motion decades ago, it was a sea change because people were fed up not getting their voices heard but also getting their requests for help ignored or turned down.

During the Westminster 2015 election campaign, former leader and MP Jim Murphy boldly said that he had ‘fixed’ the Scottish Labour Party. That was a pretty bold statement but it was also wrong, the Labour campaign was really awful.

Remember my article of Feb 2015?


It was plain to see the writing on the wall, so far out,
 who starts an election campaign wittering on about getting a drink at a football?

And who really gives a shit in the grand scheme of things?

As I wrote in the article:

“Deliver policies of significant meaning to win back Labour voters, big ideas, real change and real commitment”.

Murdo Fraser doesn’t get it, it isn’t federalism or indeed any other kind of ‘ism’ that Scots needed or wanted; it was people who would fix their problems. People aren’t pro SNP, the vote is still fluid, people wanted rid of the current crop of Scottish politicians.


Now, it appears that no one wants to help them, as the old saying goes, what goes around, comes around.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservatives said:

“The UK Constitution is evolving and under this Conservative government we are now witnessing further change – with the biggest transfer of powers to the Scottish parliament since devolution, and more powers devolved to England’s regions.”

Or you could offer another opinion and call it benign neglect, just shunning problems further down the line which eventually someone else will have to deal with and fix.

Murdo Fraser said:

“We could move to a situation, fairly quickly, of a network of strong city regions with devolved administrative powers. These would be areas of administrative devolution, not legislative. That would leave a de facto English parliament, sitting within the House of Commons at certain times, or at certain times of the week, following the implementation of EVEL. Whether there would then need to be an English executive in some form is another matter which would have to be considered: and, if so, whether an English First Minister would be required, or whether that job could simultaneously be held by the UK Prime Minister. This would not be pure federalism in any sense, more likely ‘quasi-federalism’.”

Have a read of this from the London School of Economics.


Short version, it isn’t going to work, it isn’t going to be tolerated in Europe.

Murdo Fraser can punt federalism till the cows come home, it solves nothing, it isn’t even on the radar of the Scottish people, it has no interest, there is no groundswell and there are other problems which affect people which come first.

No one is sitting around pining for federalism because it changes nothing, power shifts which don’t benefit people are part of the reason why nearly every Unionist politician was throw out on the street at the General Election.

It isn’t that people want the SNP in power, they want to get rid of useless politicians and the SNP is a vehicle to do this until such time as either the Unionist parties get better leadership and candidates or there is a new centre right party in Scotland.

Murdo is flogging a dead horse!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny thing George, down here in England we had exactly the same response to Labour five years ago. Tories in the wilderness, then Labour began to get cocky. They could say whatever they liked about the white working class (Chav stereotypes) and treat them like crap even when warning signs showed some of them desert to the BNP and UKIP. And then they lost. Badly. Despite being a Labour voter myself from time to time I find it so satisfying to see Labour get what they deserve.

G Laird said...

Hi Anon

It seems that people need a more competitive market in politics.

George

Anonymous said...

what they need is GEORGE LAIRD for 16


Crookie

Anonymous said...

I see Nicola is out and about seeing those affected by the floods. Stand by for the highly supportive comments from the cybernat brigade whilst they criticise Cameron for doing exactly the same.

But of course, we all know that Westminster is to blame for the floods in Scotland.

Happy new year by the way George.

Anonymous said...

A bit off topic, but what the hell were STV playing at with their Hogmany show? It would have been better to have called it the Sturgeon Family Free Propaganda Slot. Someone obviously is a big fan of hers and decided to invited not only here but half of her bloody family.

Don Quixote said...

Mr Laird,

If anyone's "Flogging a dead horse", it's unequivocally you Sir! Is it at all conceivable, with initiate operation, that we will finally be spared in 2016, the inane ramblings of your tacky little blog?

Chan urrainn do dhuine 'sambith seirbhis a dhéanamh do dhà mhaighstir.

The Don

G Laird said...

Dear Mr. Lean

"If anyone's "Flogging a dead horse", it's unequivocally you Sir! Is it at all conceivable, with initiate operation, that we will finally be spared in 2016, the inane ramblings of your tacky little blog?"

Happy New Year to you Sir.

As to your statement of 'tacky', what a disservice you do this BBC read blog.

"Chan urrainn do dhuine 'sambith seirbhis a dhéanamh do dhà mhaighstir".

I don't speak Gaelic.

Has Nicola Sturgeon decided to stop using using kids as political props in 2016?

In case she doesn't know, 'she ain't no mother bruv'.

Best regards

George

Don Quixote said...

Mr Laird,

Is it not an incontrovertible actuality that the BBC is parenthetically predisposed in favour of the so called union?

Therefore you are wrong, wrong and wrong again if you postulate for one instant that any advocacy either palpable or hallucinated confers any plausibility to your shabby little blog.

Why not take the time, that you frivol away so willingly on your lamentable scribbling and employ it to comprehend our mother tongue?

The elevated echelons of the SNP do not require to utilise props or to be bolstered by anyone or anything. You of all people should be well acquainted with these realities Mr Laird.

We trust that this will not be beyond your linguistic skill set “Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid”.

The Don

Sherbie said...

Stop wasting "my money" on gaelic Sturgeon.

G Laird said...

Dear Mr. McLean

You are a hoot.

"The elevated echelons of the SNP do not require to utilise props or to be bolstered by anyone or anything. You of all people should be well acquainted with these realities Mr Laird."

Everyone knows that Nicola Sturgeon is using kids to create a false image as likeable for votes.

She is a sad pathetic creature, and she doesn't even have a 'shabby blog' to fall back on.

George

Don Quixote said...

Mr Laird,

We see it is to be business as usual, with misrepresentations, subterfuge and fallacious denunciations the order of the day.

You have now descended to the deepest depths of desperation, having gone so far as to embroil the First Minister in your sordid grubby deceptions.

Sir your behaviour is unethical, misogynistic, mendacious and intimidatory, yet year after year you show no remorse. Your shameful blog is a canker on the body politic of our beloved Scotland.

"Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh"

The Don

S said...

Did anyone see that fuc**** SNPSTV hogmany show. Talk about living in North Korea. Can you imagine that rubbish Sturgeon and her cult getting their corrupt hands on the BBC? I never watched that crap show by the way. I used to go to the pantomime in Aberdeen, but not any more with that dirge, elaine c smith in it. Yuk.

G Laird said...

Dear S

“Did anyone see that fuc**** SNPSTV hogmany show. Talk about living in North Korea. Can you imagine that rubbish Sturgeon and her cult getting their corrupt hands on the BBC?”

I was one of the fortunate ones to miss Ms. Sturgeon trying to be likeable and funny.

“I never watched that crap show by the way. I used to go to the pantomime in Aberdeen, but not any more with that dirge, elaine c smith in it. Yuk.”

Lucky old you as well missing the Swiss Family Sturgeon.

Apparently the STV viewing figures were dire, Scotland tuned into the BBC show and Jackie Bird.

You might like this:

http://www.capx.co/the-snp-has-even-managed-to-ruin-hogmanay/

George

G Laird said...

Dear Mr. McLean

“Mr Laird”.

Yes!

“We see it is to be business as usual, with misrepresentations, subterfuge and fallacious denunciations the order of the day”.

Who is “we”, you reading my blog alongside the Queen, I didn’t know she was a fan, she stay in East Kilbride?

“You have now descended to the deepest depths of desperation, having gone so far as to embroil the First Minister in your sordid grubby deceptions.”

“deepest depths of desperation”, have you been to the deepest depths of desperation, seems to me you are just waffling.

“Sir your behaviour is unethical, misogynistic, mendacious and intimidatory, yet year after year you show no remorse.”

Opinion varies!

Do you think I should show remorse about telling the truth, I mean, as I understand it, the truth tends to speak for itself does it not?

I see you use the ex SNP MP Natalie McGarry angle of throwing ‘misogynistic’ about the place.

Time for a quote:

“ she ain't no mother bruv”.

I assume this has got your knickers in a twist, but is it true?

Yes, it is true. She ain’t no mother bruv, I adapt this from the bystander who berated the attacker who tried to stab people in London claiming to be doing jihad.

“Your shameful blog is a canker on the body politic of our beloved Scotland”.

Duncan, no one likes an arselicker.

"Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh"

I don’t speak Gaelic.

George