Dear All
It isn’t unusual for some types of politicians to make outlandish statements, Nicola Sturgeon and Alistair Darling seem at present to being saying exactly the same thing.
What is that?
Nicola Sturgeon is saying only SNP can halt Theresa May having 'free hand' and as if by magic, Alistair Darling is effectively pushing only the Labour Party in the shape of the Blair faction can stop Theresa May, who is more credible?
Let’s be real for a moment, the SNP sent 56 MPs to Westminster in 2015, their performance has been dire, some people like Tasmina Ahmed-Shiekh have been so tedious as for many people to comment on it on the benches opposite. The reality of 56 SNP MPs hasn’t done anything significant or note worthy in two years since elected. Their antics have been petty at best and un-statesmanlike, lucky for us all it appears that some of them are possibly about to get the chop.
Nothing the SNP do at Westminster matters!
Here is a story I picked up today, met a guy who told me that he had gone to an SNP elected officials office for help, he had been sanctioned by the DWP, at present he says he isn’t getting any money at all. He went to the SNP office and asked for foodbank vouchers having gone the previous week, he then told me a female member of SNP elected members’ staff that she didn’t want to give him a voucher for a foodbank. Being upset, he said to me that he told them to stick the voucher up their arse. I was always under the impression that as long as people are in need, they should get help, sadly help doesn’t seem to be available to some people turning up at Chris Stephens office.
So, onto Alistair Darling, technically if Labour wins the election this will stop Theresa May, but again, today I met many people who previously voted Labour who were very unhappy about something which I had talked about for a long time, the lack of representation in dealing with complaints by public. Given so many people are scunnered by Scottish Labour and their polling reflects this, this snap election isn’t going to go well for them at all it seems. Another issue brought up was that many people hadn’t seen the Labour Party out and about. I explained to them given so few people are actually willing to be activists this is a real problem for the party. Good activists are worth their weight in gold because most of the membership will take a back seat when the hard graft of door to door campaigning is required.
In all likelihood, the Conservatives are set to win this snap election, I think that people want to ensure that Brexit is carried through to the end, and they expect certain things to be done on their behalf which they don’t have confidence in Labour delivering. Jeremy Corbyn cannot win the office of Prime Minister without Scottish MPs, and so far the Scottish Labour Party cannot guarantee delivering any at this moment in time.
At present my main focus is the council elections, I am not committed to take part in the General Election, in 2016, I made a promise to certain people to do the Scottish Labour campaign.
I kept my promise!
Although Alistair Darling is “campaigning”, he isn’t signed to support Jeremy Corbyn, in fact Darling has totally dismissed Jeremy Corbyn’s chances of winning the general election and suggested he will not be Labour leader after June 8. It seems as I blogged previously, the leadership contest solved nothing in the Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn will not win the election for various reasons but the depth of feeling against him by some in the Labour Party shows that even in times were you would expect unity there is none.
Alistair Darling has given an early and unexpected gift to Labour’s opponents, mostly the Conservatives who will clearly pounce on his statements. After all, Darling is quite a senior Labour figure but such is the hate for Corbyn, the Blair faction would rather he lost the election. In Scotland, the Blair faction dominates the party which is led by Kezia Dugdale, and the worse place to stand in the UK is Scotland because people don’t want to vote Labour. In Scotland, the way to recover for the party is a centrist approach which takes the best of the policies from the left and the right. So far the current policies don’t gel with people.
If I asked you want Scottish Labour stands for at present, would you have a clue?
One thing that Alistair Darling said that caught my eye was this:
“What I’m concerned about is that we get people like Ian returned at the next election so that we have decent people arguing against an ever more extreme and bleak view of what might happen [after Brexit].”
Unity doesn’t exist in the Labour Party, not even at time of electioneering it seems!
One of the things which the polls have flagged is the possible winning of several seats by the Scottish Conservatives in the General Election, 12 target seats places such as East Renfrewshire and Aberdeen South etc, Scottish Labour could end up as the third party in Scotland at Westminster. And as the Labour Party are letting Kezia Dugdale sail her own course in Scotland, the buck and what could be the fourth major campaigning disaster will be very much laid at her door and not Jeremy Corbyn.
Finally, I was very much encouraged today by the people I met and the stories that I was told regarding voting intentions towards me. It seems that the SNP and Scottish Labour both have created rods for their own back in Pollok and elsewhere, whether this opens the door for others remains to be seen. Also today I managed to meet some really friendly dogs especially a ‘staffie’ which was so friendly I could have easily spent the afternoon playing with him and taking him for a walk.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Best of luck, George!
ReplyDeleteGeorge, on a personal issue here, could you make a mention of Frank Docherty the founding member of INCAS. He fought the system for 20 years to bring the abuse of children in Scottish children homes and approved schools to the public. It’s thanks to people like Frank that the Holyrood parliament was forced to hold a public inquiry. He passed away on Sunday, age 74.
ReplyDeletefreddy
Hi Al C
ReplyDeleteThanks, I have put a bit of effort in here so am quite pleased with the response of those who I spoke to, picked up 7 people yesterday who said they would vote me number 1.
Basically a case and wait and see what happens.
George
Hello George
ReplyDeleteI wish you the very best of luck in your campaign. You have an excellent track record of winning support. You are a beacon of hope in a sea of dunce wannabe "politicians". I am sure you will do well.
Auld Jock
I really don't know who to vote for in my council election. The Labour candidates are sitting councillors who weren't interested in helping me with housing problems in recent years. The SNP candidates won't reply to my questions about public toilets and parking. Gone are the days when candidates for political office from the big parties actually engaged with voters. The candidates from the smaller parties are more likely to talk to voters, but they're unlikely to win. For the first time since I was 18, I'm seriously considering not voting at all.
ReplyDeleteAround two years ago my Mum told me 2 SNP canvassers came to her door, they told her the SNP has just opened a food bank and wanted her to vote SNP. My mum who is almost 90 told them to fuck off and they should be ashamed of themselves. She told them if they come round to her house again, she will get them arrested. That really happened; she also told them that there were no food banks when she was younger. The SNP believe opening food banks deserves a vote. They have done nothing for the unemployed, they have created no jobs. They want mass immigration; they must hate the Scottish working poor. They are pathetic and are just as horrible to the working class as Lie@bour was. I’m voting Tory; at least they won’t bullshit you.
ReplyDeletebest of luck Georgie boy
ReplyDeleteStella performance from Diane Abbott today Mr Laird. Can it get any worse?
ReplyDeleteAnd of course all the best for Thursday.
ReplyDeleteHi D Stewart
ReplyDeleteYou can count on Diane to get worse, she has a track record of putting her foot in her mouth, but worse than that she is unprepared on policy, although no one is expected to know everything, she should be able to grasp what she is trying to push through.
I see disaster if she is appointed a government minister, however I don't think that the Labour Party can win here, they aren't unity and they haven't pounded the streets enough to get back in touch with the voters.
George
Dear Anon
ReplyDelete“I really don't know who to vote for in my council election”.
Politics in Scotland is in flux, sadly people get elected who don’t care about helping you; you seem to have met them. I would say to you that you do exercise your vote; in the main this can be difficult if the party’s candidates don’t work.
I stood for election because I want to serve people, I don’t see as some do that public office is a vehicle for self promotion although some clearly do. I believe in old time public service very much, I want to help as many people as possible because in the past I have stood in their shoes, I am not a silver spoon candidate, quite the opposite.
“The Labour candidates are sitting councillors who weren't interested in helping me with housing problems in recent years. The SNP candidates won't reply to my questions about public toilets and parking”.
There you are, a cllr should try and help you because you are living in the area they represent, when they get elected the presiding officer says they are elected to present your area, and that means everything in the area to the best of their ability. Over years, some cllrs had second jobs, even three jobs which meant they didn’t have time for people. You can see this as someone who works for an MP or MSP wants an additional salary; I would outlaw this by act of parliament.
“Gone are the days when candidates for political office from the big parties actually engaged with voters. The candidates from the smaller parties are more likely to talk to voters, but they're unlikely to win. For the first time since I was 18, I'm seriously considering not voting at all”.
You can never find an ideal party because the make up is always changing, and some people who get elected have an agenda, I would say to you, cast your vote, and also consider standing for public office. You don’t need any special qualifications; all you need is commonsense and drive. Not voting helps keep bad politicians in jobs, and we all should have an interest in getting these people out, regardless who they stand for.
George
Hi Auld Jock
ReplyDeleteThank you for your support, big day tomorrow as you know, I am pleased with what I have achieved this time round and many people were very open minded to my views. I did come across the odd 'table dancer' who bought into everything the SNP spout but you can't win them all over. Some people don't want to listen even to the truth.
George