What a day it's been in the village that is the Scottish Parliament! Everywhere you went there were folk huddled in corners, speaking out of the corners of their mouths, whispering, talking in code and even some folk who amused themselves by surreptitiously taking photographs of the day's proceedings!
Not that I wasn't taking it seriously. Of course I was although I struggled to take some of the characters seriously. Par example, the Lib Dems. Word is that they didn't think the Greens would vote against the budget so they were safe in doing so, knowing that it would get through anyway. Let that be a lesson to them that games should be kept for the playground not the parliament!
Anyway then we hear that they're willing to vote for the budget if they can force a concession or two out of the SNP government. And what was their biggest demand? That the government write to the Calman Commission and suggest the Parliament gets borrowing powers. Hmmmm, bet our side had to think long and hard about that one.
And Labour are tonight claiming they've squeezed an extra year of the apprenticeship scheme out of this. It would probably have happened anyway and surely, surely to goodness, they weren't voting down the budget on that one issue.
And that is, for me, the most important point in all of this. The Labour Party were prepared to vote down a budget with all of the inevitable chaos that would bring to the country (councils not being able to set their budgets, health boards not knowing what they're doing etc) in a time of severe economic recession for what? For the want of an extra year of apprenticeships that probably would've happened anyway?
You DO NOT vote down budgets unless you've a very good reason for doing so. It should be a LAST resort. There can only be ONE good reason and that is because you believe that the budget being proposed will be DAMAGING to your country's economy. You don't do it just because you don't like it and you'd have done it differently. How deeply irresponsible of the people who once ran this country?
What a relief that they no longer do (run the country) and from what I'm hearing, this has simply woken up the few remaining Labour voters who can now see that this is a morally bankrupt party still smarting from losing the election, determined to get their revenge on the SNP and prepared to stop at nothing to that end.
So it was an exciting week in parliament with lots of high drama and a photo diary to go with it! And although we cannot count our chickens, it looks like all of the parties are now moving in the same direction and looking to do the right thing for Scotland and get this budget through the parliament. I'm sure people will be very relieved when it's over and we can get on with the job of running the country!
Not that I wasn't taking it seriously. Of course I was although I struggled to take some of the characters seriously. Par example, the Lib Dems. Word is that they didn't think the Greens would vote against the budget so they were safe in doing so, knowing that it would get through anyway. Let that be a lesson to them that games should be kept for the playground not the parliament!
Anyway then we hear that they're willing to vote for the budget if they can force a concession or two out of the SNP government. And what was their biggest demand? That the government write to the Calman Commission and suggest the Parliament gets borrowing powers. Hmmmm, bet our side had to think long and hard about that one.
And Labour are tonight claiming they've squeezed an extra year of the apprenticeship scheme out of this. It would probably have happened anyway and surely, surely to goodness, they weren't voting down the budget on that one issue.
And that is, for me, the most important point in all of this. The Labour Party were prepared to vote down a budget with all of the inevitable chaos that would bring to the country (councils not being able to set their budgets, health boards not knowing what they're doing etc) in a time of severe economic recession for what? For the want of an extra year of apprenticeships that probably would've happened anyway?
You DO NOT vote down budgets unless you've a very good reason for doing so. It should be a LAST resort. There can only be ONE good reason and that is because you believe that the budget being proposed will be DAMAGING to your country's economy. You don't do it just because you don't like it and you'd have done it differently. How deeply irresponsible of the people who once ran this country?
What a relief that they no longer do (run the country) and from what I'm hearing, this has simply woken up the few remaining Labour voters who can now see that this is a morally bankrupt party still smarting from losing the election, determined to get their revenge on the SNP and prepared to stop at nothing to that end.
So it was an exciting week in parliament with lots of high drama and a photo diary to go with it! And although we cannot count our chickens, it looks like all of the parties are now moving in the same direction and looking to do the right thing for Scotland and get this budget through the parliament. I'm sure people will be very relieved when it's over and we can get on with the job of running the country!
6 comments:
I suppose that's one way of looking at it....
Personally, I enjoyed watching the SNP dance to Labour's jig - and spin a few reels at the behest of the Greens and Tories.
Yes but I imagine if Alex Salmond passed you in the street you'd stick your tongue out at him and feel a certain amount of satisfaction at that Spoonsy - we're all different and we all have varying levels of sophistication when it comes to how we get our kicks :-)
Now, now .... no need to be childish.
I'm merely pointing out that the opposition parties have done exactly what the SNP promised to do if there was a hung parliament at Westminster - Extract the maximum concessions from a weak government.
But I can take it from your churlish reaction that it really isn't so nice when the boot is on the other foot.
Your language is just very different to what I'm used to in the SNP. "Boot on the other foot" - something kinda aggressive about that, not my kinda politics I'm afraid. It's funny though how you think that the SNP is, at last, being brought down to earth with a bump - or at least, we were for a day in your mind! Strange really given that almost all of my political life (18 of the 20 years) the SNP has gotten nowhere, we've always been at the bottom of the pile, we've lost elections, we've lost money, we've lost nearly everything several times over. But the one thing we've NEVER lost is the passion to keep on fighting because we truly believe in what we're fighting for. It's Labour and the Tories (no idea what you are Spoonsy, little difference as far as I'm concerned) who are used to winning and can't cope with losing. This is NOTHING to us, it's a minor setback. Whilst you're feeling all smug inside though perhaps you'll spare a thought for the folk out there who don't really give a damn who gets what through parliament or who votes how, all they care about is surviving this hellish time. And I actually do care about them. Do you?
Well said Indy, Spoonsy sums up the way Labour appears to me, not saying Spoonsy is labour but it sounds like it.
Their conduct in the chamber at Holyrood is a national disgrace and with cheerleaders like Lord Foulkes howling them on it has further isolated Labour.
Grays attmepted bloodless coup was just that and has damaged him further. The SNP are now streets ahead of the pack as a result of Labours attempted coup.
Bravo! I so admire your passion.
But perhaps when it gets the better of you and you start to drift into hyperbole about who cares most for 'the people', you should consider what the sticking points of the budget were.
Labour, I believe, wanted more money for apprenticeships. So that young people could learn a trade. I'm sure with your 18 years in politics you'll know that's very different from just creating jobs - If you teach someone a trade they've a job for life.
The Greens wanted more money for insulation schemes which would cut people's fuel bills in the long term and be better for the environment.
Now, both of these are pretty laudable aims. Pity, then, that the SNP did not agree - and instead used our money for ...... what?
The only things that pop into my head are cuts to business rates - so someone who's already doing well can make more money, and £10 million for a single painting at a time when struggling artists in Scotland are facing severe cuts.
Now, you seem a decent sort, and I believe you do genuinely care. But is it not time you asked yourself if you're fighting for the right side?
Post a Comment