An open letter to Christina McKelvie

Dear Christina,


Recently I was sent this link to your blog, the sender of said link was laughing at your defence of Sandra White but that’s another story for another time.

Anyway I digress, on your blog you state, and I quote:

“Thanks to the SNP Government the support that our Scottish veterans now receive is streets ahead of where it was a couple of years ago and by some way the best in the UK.”

In what way is the support that veterans receive “streets ahead” of where it was previously? What exactly have the SNP done, if anything, to improve the support that veterans receive or is this just more warm words to hide no action from the SNP Government?

Yours sincerely,

Scottish Tory Boy
Scottishtoryboy@gmail.com

He's not local after all

A few weeks ago I posted on how important being local is in a by-election. Well, it would seem that SNP Glasgow North East Candidate David Kerr is indeed not local to Glasgow. The Labour party have unearthed some campaign literature, below, from the 2000 Falkirk by-election and from the 2001 General Election in which it states in both that David Kerr is born in Cumbernauld.

I hasten to add, I don’t for a moment believe “being local” is that important but it does look daft, ala Margaret Curran, when you say you are local and it turns out you aren’t…

Iain Gray's first re-shuffle

Despite only being in the job for a year, and on the back of some particularly bad press coverage, Iain Gray has decided to reshuffle his Shadow Cabinet at Holyrood, details of which can be found here.

One wonders though, is this merely re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic as opposed to looking at how he is steering the ship?

I know what I'm watching tomorrow night...

It’s the end of the world as we know it but I feel fine

Below is an article I have just posted on the Steamie blog.

ScottishToryBoy: It’s the end of the world as we know it but I feel fine

I thought I’d give my thoughts after Nick Griffins appearance on Question Time last night. I should also point out at this juncture that, as I had said, I didn’t actually watch last night’s Question Time. Admittedly I am toying with watching it tonight but probably won’t. However, it’s been difficult to avoid the topic as nearly every blog, newspaper and news broadcast carries the story.


It’s probably fair to say that both the Beeb and the BNP will be pleased following last night’s programme based on viewing figures alone as some 8million tuned in to see Griffin on QT – nearly three times the usual viewing figures for the show. I also think Nick Griffin has grounds for his complaint about his treatment on the show. Instead of focusing on current affairs, last night’s Question Time focused solely on Griffin himself and his views – it was, in fact, Griffin Time.

Yes, his views are disgusting and deserve to be debated and taken apart but Question Time is about discussing current affairs not teaming up on a single politician – something that will work in his favour as it will have garnered him some sympathy. Griffin complaining is also an inspired move as it will result in him staying on the news agenda even longer.

For me though, the most delicious irony of this whole affair was the anti-fascist groups trying to ban him from appearing on the show. Sounds a lot like censorship and suppressing freedom of speech to me…

Update:

I'm also enjoying Malc in the Burgh's post about being a fascist to oppose fascism.

A lot of fuss over nothing?

Below is an article I just posted on the Steamie blog.

I think I’m probably one of the few bloggers that hasn’t yet written about Nick Griffin appearing on Question Time tonight, so I thought I’d break the duck now.

 

Based on some of the rantings stuff I have read, you would think we were approaching some sort of apocalypse as opposed to an elected representative being given a platform on Question Time. It is mostly those in the New Labour camp that have the biggest gripe with the leader of the extreme left-wing BNP appearing on TV. Young Yousuf of YappingYousuf fame seems to have gotten himself worked up into a wee tizz over this and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain wanted the BNP banned from appearing and is still handing out free legal advice.

Maybe I’m just getting cynical in my old age, but I suspect both the BBC and BNP will be fairly happy with the media coverage that this whole affair is getting. Like many I believe the views of the BNP are utterly abhorrent but down to their electoral “success” they are perfectly entitled to appear on Question Time. I note that David Dimbleby has been cleared to quiz Griffin on his denial of the Holocaust.

I should also note, I’m not going to even bother watching the show, that’s how little I actually care.

Jim Hume is a man

I'm sure very few people that follow Scottish Politics will have any doubts over Jim Hume's gender but I'm grateful that the Scottish Lib Dem website's profile of Mr. Hume has stated that he is indeed a man.

Born in Peebles and raised in Selkirkshire, Jim Hume is a born and bred man from the South of Scotland

Phew, glad that one has been cleared up.