Sunday, March 7, 2010

Labour MSP Jack McConnell travels the world as 'peace' envoy staying in top hotels and travelling business class, ripping the piss or what?




















Dear All

Labour MSP Jack McConnell is Gordon Brown’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms.

What is that?

Bullshit, absolute bullshit!

The reason for the ‘holiday’ role was to prevent a by-election in Jack McConnell’s seat that would have weakened Labour in Scotland.

After the Scottish Holyrood election in 2007, the Labour Party wanted McConnell out to make way for Wendy Alexander to be leader of the Labour MSP Group.

As a bribe he was offered various baubles like High Commissioner to Malawi, a possible peerage and other trinkets such as a ‘peace envoy’.

In his new role as Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, he has visited 15 countries in ten months, travelling business class and staying in top hotels.

The Foreign Office is a better travel agent than the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and you don’t have to hang around with Labour Councillors either.

The Foreign Office said of McConnell’s efforts that he was doing a good job.

And he helped improve ‘the effectiveness of the United Nations’ peace-building architecture’.

No diplomatic experience, qualifications or training behind him, the original gifted amateur.

On thing that emphasises his conflict resolution work is that he doesn’t really travel to places in conflict.

An FO spokesman added;

‘The role did not exist before Mr McConnell was given it. The role of special envoy tends to be unique to the person appointed, drawing on their experiences and skills.’

Like McConnell telling the people of Motherwell they lived in a pigsty?

As a United Nations rep, you might think that McConnell is listed as the ‘high flyer’ he is, not on their website, one mention when he hosted a dinner for then Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2005.

His role is so low key; the United Nations must have forgotten he is in the peace resolution business.

The Foreign Office said the total cost of his ‘peace’ trips between October 2008 and November 2009 was £69,060.

So far he has been to the US, Brazil, Japan, Chile, Egypt, Belgium, Bosnia and Ethiopia.

Lucky for them he hasn’t started a conflict as the British forces are overstretched, underfunded and lacking proper equipment at present.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

3 comments:

  1. So, the US is in a conflict in Iraq and one in Afghanistan... which one of those was wee Joke trying to sort out. I wasn't aware of conflicts in Japan, Chile, Egypt, and lord knows the Wallons don't care much for Flemmings, but I don't think it's the kind of conflict that needs a amateur from the Scottish parliament, which pays him...

    Thanks goodness we're not broke, or we wouldn't be able to afford all this crap.....

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  2. Dear Tris

    Obviously Jack was settle a dispute between democrats and repiblicans.

    In Japan, he was finalising the peace after WW2.

    Chile was a mistake as he meant it was chilly when he got to the airport desk.

    And he went to Egypt to see if the Suez crisis didn't flare up again.

    He went to Belgium for the chocolate and there is some wonderful views in Ghent and Brugge.

    Jack McConnell is saving the world, don't you know!

    Yours sincerely

    George Laird
    The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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  3. I'm glad you explained all that.

    He looks like he has saved the world too, and not had time for a wash.

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