Dear All
Politics is all about claim and counter claim.
At the present moment there is a ‘two ferrets in a sack’ fight between George Galloway and Gail Sheridan.
Local disturbance between a carpetbagger and an untested politician, not much to see, move along there please!
Gail Sheridan is alleged to have offered to stand as number two behind George Galloway for the Scottish Parliament elections.
However this was said to have been rebuffed by the former Respect MP for “bringing nothing to the table”.
I can't believe that George Galloway cannot see the advantages of Gail Sheridan.
Let’s be clear, I ask people to name Glasgow list MSPs who have represented Glasgow for nearly 4 years and in some cases longer.
No one I have ever talked to has ever said the name of a current list Glasgow MSP.
Gail Sheridan has name recognition that will generate press coverage.
She also has local connections and a party in place both things useful to Galloway.
He has a tenuous connection by his previous stint as an MP but that was long ago.
And he isn’t Glaswegian either.
Galloway can talk a good game, is quick on his feet and has experience, is he going to get any better than Gail Sheridan?
The decision of Gail Sheridan to run for the Scottish Parliament as a Solidarity candidate is said to have enraged Galloway, who will launch his own candidacy for Holyrood under the Respect banner in Glasgow tomorrow.
I am told at 5 pm George Galloway will be at the Central Mosque in Glasgow in an attempt to secure the Muslim vote.
And given his links in supporting issues like a free Palestine he should make inroads in that area.
So, Galloway is in a situation of his own making as Solidarity source said attempts had been made to persuade Mr Galloway to accept Mrs Sheridan as his number two on a joint Respect/Solidarity list apparently fell on deaf ears.
When it became clear that Galloway was planning to go ahead without her did Solidarity activists persuade Gail Sheridan to go it alone as the head of their Glasgow regional list.
A friend of Sheridan said:
“George Galloway refused to countenance any link with anyone else. He has a tendency to want it his way or the highway. He seemed to think Gail Healey was some kind of wee lassie with no political background of her own, rather than someone who actually led a strike as a British Airways shop steward. He actually said Gail did not bring anything to the table as far as a deal was concerned. It simply does not make sense what George is doing, but there you go. We were left with no choice.”
Galloway, the smart political operator has made a big mistake but having said that he could still make it to Holyrood.
Glasgow is politically lite at present and throwing Galloway into the mix will certainly force Glasgow political parties to up their game.
If Galloway walks into Glasgow takes a seat or racks ups a huge vote then it will be a wake call for everyone in politics.
Except me because I have been commenting on how change is needed for some time.
But Galloway like Gail Sheridan has a problem, lack of resources and manpower.
Another political party I hear is struggling to get its activists to come out and work for it; I was told that the amount of work in the city being done was way down on last year’s Westminster Election.
Not only does that party struggle to get people to come out, but for some time even its own candidates (not standing) have taken a back seat.
One Glasgow Labour supporter commenting said:
“If they won’t defend the democracy in their own party, they can't seek a mandate to govern the rest of us.”
It seems that in that party there is an activist’s protest by them walking away.
People have better things to do with their free time than being treated with utter contempt.
Another wag recently said of the ongoing major problem:
“The party has the best voting system that money can buy!”
And that is what is angering activists plus the fact the leadership knows what is going on and is doing nothing to address the problem. When leadership is not forthcoming, activists lose faith and don't turn out. It is time some people who consider themselves 'leaders' acted like it.
If a certain candidate doesn’t win first past the post in Glasgow then it is going to be highly and politically embarrassing for that Party and doesn't bode well for the joint Holyrood and Westminster Elections in 2015.
George Galloway will pick up votes; Gail Sheridan will pick up votes but with a multitude of people standing in the ‘left field’, it is going to be crowded on that grassy knoll.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Politics is all about claim and counter claim.
At the present moment there is a ‘two ferrets in a sack’ fight between George Galloway and Gail Sheridan.
Local disturbance between a carpetbagger and an untested politician, not much to see, move along there please!
Gail Sheridan is alleged to have offered to stand as number two behind George Galloway for the Scottish Parliament elections.
However this was said to have been rebuffed by the former Respect MP for “bringing nothing to the table”.
I can't believe that George Galloway cannot see the advantages of Gail Sheridan.
Let’s be clear, I ask people to name Glasgow list MSPs who have represented Glasgow for nearly 4 years and in some cases longer.
No one I have ever talked to has ever said the name of a current list Glasgow MSP.
Gail Sheridan has name recognition that will generate press coverage.
She also has local connections and a party in place both things useful to Galloway.
He has a tenuous connection by his previous stint as an MP but that was long ago.
And he isn’t Glaswegian either.
Galloway can talk a good game, is quick on his feet and has experience, is he going to get any better than Gail Sheridan?
The decision of Gail Sheridan to run for the Scottish Parliament as a Solidarity candidate is said to have enraged Galloway, who will launch his own candidacy for Holyrood under the Respect banner in Glasgow tomorrow.
I am told at 5 pm George Galloway will be at the Central Mosque in Glasgow in an attempt to secure the Muslim vote.
And given his links in supporting issues like a free Palestine he should make inroads in that area.
So, Galloway is in a situation of his own making as Solidarity source said attempts had been made to persuade Mr Galloway to accept Mrs Sheridan as his number two on a joint Respect/Solidarity list apparently fell on deaf ears.
When it became clear that Galloway was planning to go ahead without her did Solidarity activists persuade Gail Sheridan to go it alone as the head of their Glasgow regional list.
A friend of Sheridan said:
“George Galloway refused to countenance any link with anyone else. He has a tendency to want it his way or the highway. He seemed to think Gail Healey was some kind of wee lassie with no political background of her own, rather than someone who actually led a strike as a British Airways shop steward. He actually said Gail did not bring anything to the table as far as a deal was concerned. It simply does not make sense what George is doing, but there you go. We were left with no choice.”
Galloway, the smart political operator has made a big mistake but having said that he could still make it to Holyrood.
Glasgow is politically lite at present and throwing Galloway into the mix will certainly force Glasgow political parties to up their game.
If Galloway walks into Glasgow takes a seat or racks ups a huge vote then it will be a wake call for everyone in politics.
Except me because I have been commenting on how change is needed for some time.
But Galloway like Gail Sheridan has a problem, lack of resources and manpower.
Another political party I hear is struggling to get its activists to come out and work for it; I was told that the amount of work in the city being done was way down on last year’s Westminster Election.
Not only does that party struggle to get people to come out, but for some time even its own candidates (not standing) have taken a back seat.
One Glasgow Labour supporter commenting said:
“If they won’t defend the democracy in their own party, they can't seek a mandate to govern the rest of us.”
It seems that in that party there is an activist’s protest by them walking away.
People have better things to do with their free time than being treated with utter contempt.
Another wag recently said of the ongoing major problem:
“The party has the best voting system that money can buy!”
And that is what is angering activists plus the fact the leadership knows what is going on and is doing nothing to address the problem. When leadership is not forthcoming, activists lose faith and don't turn out. It is time some people who consider themselves 'leaders' acted like it.
If a certain candidate doesn’t win first past the post in Glasgow then it is going to be highly and politically embarrassing for that Party and doesn't bode well for the joint Holyrood and Westminster Elections in 2015.
George Galloway will pick up votes; Gail Sheridan will pick up votes but with a multitude of people standing in the ‘left field’, it is going to be crowded on that grassy knoll.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Gail Sheridan at holyrood would be like a breath of fresh air
ReplyDeleteGail Sheridan at holyrood would be like a breath of fresh air
ReplyDeleteHolyrood is very bland. It would help if some of the dross was removed and more colourful people with fresh thinking were elected. I agree with George that most MSPs are anonymous and we don't know what they stand for , if anything.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Galloway will bring a breath of fresh air to Holyrood. He will be a big hitter in that small pond. Galloway has the skills to take on Labour when Iain Gray becomes First Minister later on this year.
ReplyDeleteIf George Galloway or Gail Sheridan is the answer ...then we are well and truly fu*ked.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the connection between Mrs Sheridan and Sarah Palin?
ReplyDeleteAre you really just playing on the lowest common demoniator of them both being attractive women?
denominator even.. haha
ReplyDeleteDear Faceless
ReplyDelete"What's the connection between Mrs Sheridan and Sarah Palin?
Are you really just playing on the lowest common demoniator of them both being attractive women?"
Just showing how the using the right PR makes people interested.
And asking questions!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Just what we need in Hollyrood another over paid self opinionated gob.
ReplyDelete