That's the way to do it!

The Times is reporting a range of synthetic angers over the Scottish Government sponsoring three programmes made by STV. Here's the spouting:

Ted Brocklebank, Culture Spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: “If the SNP government has being trying to use taxpayers’ money to undermine the impartiality of STV then there must be an investigation.”.
“If [Mr Salmond] has been using taxpayers’ money to buy favour and influence, then that would be a serious breach of power.”
Iain Gray, leader of Scots Labour, said: “The suggestion that Alex Salmond tried to manipulate Scotland’s largest commercial broadcaster is deeply concerning.”
Iain Smith, the Liberal Democrat Culture Spokesman, said: “Independent broadcasters aren’t there to act as PR agencies for the government.”

Scottish Government encourages Scottish cultural shows shock...

So who hosted these shows which were undermining the impartiality of STV, which were an attempt to buy favour and influence, manipulated a commercial broadcaster, and turned STV into public relations consultants?

Kirsty Wark, Labour supporter, friend of former First Minister Jack McConnell MSP.
Charlie Kennedy MP, former leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Alastair Campbell, one time gentle persuader for Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.

You can see how that twists it all towards support for the SNP, can't you?

Mind how you go!

University funding - better under the SNP

I see that university funding is to rise by £40 million in Scotland - an increase under the SNP Scottish Government - while university funding south of the border is being slashed by £398 million under the Labour Government.

Mind how you go!

BBC in basic error - tsk, tsk, tsk

The BBC website is carrying a story that's headlined "Knife killing at record high rate" and begins:

The percentage of knife killings are at an all-time high, according to the latest Scottish homicide figures.

and it includes a wee table:

PEOPLE KILLED WITH SHARP INSTRUMENT
2005-06: 34 (36%)
2006-07: 54 (45%)
2007-08: 55 (48%)
2008-09: 57 (58%)

If only the reporter had included the figures from the previous year, 2004-05 where knife killings accounted for 72 murders in Scotland, 53% of the total, giving a lie to the headline - given that all the figures come from the same sheet in the same document and this was the only year left out, I wonder whether the BBC reporter has sexed up the story by omitting uncomfortable facts or whether she or he given the story and just didn't bother to check the facts.

The story claims the highest percentage ever, which might be true, but that doesn't indicate that murders with a sharp instrument are increasing. If you look back further, you'll see that the numbers of knife murders were:

1997-98 - 39
1998-99 - 39
1999-00 - 67
2000-01 - 48
2001-02 - 56
2002-03 - 60
2003-04 - 55
2004-05 - 72
2005-06 - 34
2006-07 - 54

The reason the most recent percentage is so high is because the number of other types of murder has decreased. For some reason, what should be a good news story has been turned inside-out by the BBC. Someone at the BBC seems to think that it is acceptable to talk Scotland down, to tell us that we're somehow failing - even when the truth is directly contrary to that assertion. I know it's not Brian Taylor because he's a decent, fair and balanced political editor who does his homework, does the digging, and has a fine understanding of Scottish politics (in spite of the football team he supports), but someone else in the organisation is failing. We should be able to trust the BBC to be impartial, and we should be able to trust the Corporation to do its homework. Failures like this are a right scunner.

I'm off to campaign now. Mind how you go!

Scottish ice dancing

Watching the Winter Olympics, I came upon the ice dance and the Scottish sister and brother team. She lifted him as well as him lifting her. Equality in action...

Obsession

It's always good to see a man indulging his obsession - http://www.rigglemerie.com/

Electoral Commission - no concerns over wording

There is a tale being reported by the BBC and by the Scotsman as well as the Herald that centres around claims by opposition parties that the Scottish Government is seeking to rig the independence referendum. This is based on a release of correspondence under FOI which, it is claimed, demonstrates that the Electoral Commission is being cut out of the referendum and alleging that the EC had concerns over the wording.

The truth is somewhat different. The BBC is hosting the FOI in all its glory - 30 pages worth - and a quick read shows something rather different. The Electoral Commission raised a question about whether the Scottish Government or Scottish Parliament had the power to instruct the Commission and, by implication, whether the Commission could have a regulatory role. Both the Scottish Government and the Electoral Commission were to seek legal advice on whether there was a means by which these points could be addressed. The Commission also noted that the Scottish Government was asking the Commission's advice on the question and that the Government was committed to adhering to the ballot paper standards which were being developed.

Far from being unhappy with the Scottish Government, the Electoral Commission appears to be rather pleased with the level of cooperation. Interestingly, none of the reports quotes anyone from the EC - I would have thought that that was an obvious quote to seek. Another thing - these opposition parties complaining that the Scottish Parliament is to choose the Commissioner to oversee a Scottish referendum seem to have forgotten that their Calman Commission recommended that the Scottish Parliament takes over the overseeing of Scottish elections.

Consistency?

Mind how you go!

Cashback!

One of the finest things that the SNP Government has done (and there have been very many very fine things) is the Cashback for Communities scheme. When criminal types get their collars grabbed by that well-known long arm the accountants get sent in and the criminals' ill-gotten gains are seized by the state. The Scottish Government then recycles that money and provides resources for sports equipment and training, musical type things and other arty stuff like drama and painting - concentrated mainly on the areas blighted by crime. Excellent idea!

I see it was proclaimed loudly today by a pair of Reid twins (sorry about that terrible pun) at the Reeltime Music project in Newarthill, Lanarkshire. Well done to the pop-star types for taking a wee interest in such things, I say!

Round 3 of the funding has closed, but round 4 should be coming in April so if you've got a project that could do with the assistance, get ready to make a bid.

I have no idea why Kenny MacAskill is having a cup of tea with a pony in this photograph from the website, though:

Mind how you go.

Mandatory?

Labour Shadow Justice Chappie, Richard Baker MSP, made a big fuss about introducing a mandatory sentence for carrying a knife. Here's the amendment to the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill that he submitted:

10 After section 24, insert—
(1) In section 49 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.39) (offence of having in a public place an article with a blade or point), after subsection (5) insert—
"(5A) Subsection (5B) applies where—
(a) a person is convicted of an offence under subsection (1),
(b) the offence was committed after the commencement of this subsection, and
(c) when the offence was committed, the person was aged 16 or over.
(5B) Where this subsection applies, the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment of at least 6 months (with or without a fine) unless the court is of the opinion that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the offence or to the offender which justify not doing so.".
(2) In section 207(3A) of the 1995 Act (detention of young offenders: minimum sentences), after paragraph (a) insert—
"(aa) section 49(5B) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (minimum sentence for having in a public place an article with a blade or point);".>

Note that bit - "the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment of at least 6 months (with or without a fine) unless the court is of the opinion that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the offence or to the offender which justify not doing so" - it's the part of that amendment that is supposed to introduce a mandatory sentence. It would, in effect, mean that the court will have to change from deciding whether to impose a custodial sentence and how long it should be to, erm, deciding whether to impose a custodial sentence and how long it should be.

Right .....

Mind how you go!

In praise of Hercules

I am of the opinion that Hercules deserves some praise. No, no, not the daft bear who went swimming round the Hebrides nor the Greek burdened by the Dodekathlos (I know that that's the Romanisation of the Greek name, don't think I don't - oh yes!), this Hercules is a chap with a weightier task – presiding over the Scottish Parliament. Alex Fergusson MSP was dubbed Hercules by that scamp Robert McNeil of the ribald pen and the name may be the copyright of the McNeil but, like Hercules, he’s a man with a beard - he can thole it.

The hero of the piece, though, one Hercules of Leswalt in the county of Wigtownshire, former President of the Blackface Sheepbreeders Association, was dragged into the PO’s seat against his will and better judgement but he has proven to be a grand choice. George Reid, his predecessor as PO, set an awfy high standard for his successors to meet – the little magician worked his magic in and around the Parliament, turning the institution into an internationally recognised Parliament, driving the institution onwards, always looking to improve it, always looking for ways to do things better – but Hercules’ task was greater.

Hercules was pressed into service as PO on the 14th of May 2007 and George Reid demitted office with the words “thank goodness for that, I’m offski” well, actually, he said:

In the election of the Presiding Officer, the number of votes cast for each candidate was: Alex Fergusson 108, Margo MacDonald 20. Accordingly, as Alex Fergusson gathered more votes than the total number of votes received by the other candidate, and as more than 25 per cent of members voted, Alex Fergusson is elected as the Parliament's Presiding Officer.

You have just elected a decent and honourable man to head this house. Alex Fergusson is experienced both as a regional and as a constituency member. He has the personal authority of having just been returned with a significantly increased majority as the MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale. As a former committee convener, he knows what it is to seek consensus.

Alex must now try the difficult trick of sitting impartially on the fence while keeping his ears pressed firmly to the ground. However, he brings real qualities to that task: a farmer rooted in his native soil, experienced in shepherding his flock in all weathers; a curler accustomed to negotiating the ice; and a keen country dancer who does a mean strip the willow.

At this time of transition in Scottish life, Alex Fergusson brings the gifts of moderation and facilitation to his new position. I give my very best wishes to him, to his wife, Merryn, and to his family. He has the hopes of the whole chamber behind him.

I made my farewells in March. I now invite the Presiding Officer to come forward and take the chair of this Parliament.

The response indicated that the new PO was well aware of the task that faced him:

Please believe me when I say that a very large part of me would give a lot to be walking out of there now instead of George.

George's exit—as dignified as ever—seems a particularly harsh way for him to leave both the chamber and the office of Presiding Officer. He has served that office with great dignity, but also with honesty, compassion, wit, intelligence, patience and statesmanship. He has been a great servant of Scotland. I do not see his act as one to try to follow blindly, but he has set an impeccably high standard and he has been a shining example for all who follow in his footsteps.

Some of you will have read that I was initially very reluctant to do that—and I was. I did not pursue this position before or during the election and it has come as something of a shock to the electorate of Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, who returned me less than two weeks ago with such a resounding majority. My initial reluctance to put my name forward for this post was born out of the concern that I would not be able to fulfil my commitment to that electorate as their constituency MSP. It was only at the end of last week that I fully persuaded myself that I would and, indeed, could undertake this vital role and simultaneously support and promote my constituents and my constituency. I know that I can and I will.

It has not been an easy decision and sleep was a stranger to me for most of last week and this. I am told that I will probably have to get used to that. However, I was hugely bolstered and affected by the large number of MSPs who contacted me last week and this to offer me their support. As I begin to take on this great responsibility—and the enormous honour that goes with it—of representing our Parliament, I thank you for that support whole-heartedly.

Everyone I ask agrees that we are in for an interesting time. To make it slightly less interesting—for which I sometimes read contentious—at this stage, I will, like my predecessors, reluctantly suspend my party allegiance for as long as I serve in this office.

Let us all remember that our electorate—the people of Scotland—want this new politics to work for them and that we have a duty to deliver what the electorate expect. I thank you for putting your faith in me and I look forward to working with each and every one of you as we seek to take this third session of the Scottish Parliament forward for the benefit of all our people.

Two days later Alex Salmond was elected First Minister and, after two terms of coalition government which was boring but stable, Scotland entered its first term of minority government – far more exciting, far more energetic, far more dynamic, and far less stable. Not only do the Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries need to be constantly alert, so does the Presiding Officer.
It has been Hercules’ ongoing task to maintain order with the bellowing hordes of the Labour party to the right of him (including our good friend Lord Foulkes who loves a wee aside from his sedentary position), the mewling of the Lib Dems in front of him and slightly to his left (not politically) and the fevered pitch of the voices of politicians all over the chamber who feel the tension in the sliver that separates Government success and Government defeat, and he undertakes it with a modesty and grace which marks him out as a fine chap. He once had to rise to his feet and demand in stentorian tones that order be restored to the chamber and the collective sharp intake of breath told its own story about his authority. There have been other tests as well.

Today’s budget might have sailed serenely through with only Labour being daft enough to vote against the Bill but last year when the budget fell at the first time of asking (on Hercules’ casting vote), the Presiding Officer was as busy as the Cabinet Secretary – while John Swinney had his negotiations to get his budget through the Presiding Officer had to rearrange the business of Parliament with his Business Bureau. It was the PO’s job to make sure that the standing orders were being observed and adhered to in the maelstrom that had erupted – he did that with all the dignity, grace and aplomb that we have come to expect of him.
In the troubled waters of parliamentary storms Alex Fergusson MSP has kept an even tiller and has kept our Parliament on a steady course. He stands well in contrast to both the previous and current Speakers of the House of Commons, his stature is, if anything, growing. He was correct to say that George Reid “set an impeccably high standard” and he can be assured that he has matched that standard. Their styles may be different, their approach to the job dissimilar, but they have an equal standing in the development of Scotland’s Parliament.

There may be times when our Hercules would rather be cleaning the Augean Stables or swimming round the Hebrides but we should be glad that he is, instead, presiding over our Parliament.

No new boilers here says Labour

When I saw the news release on Labour's website saying "No new boilers here", I naturally thought that Labour was saying that there should be grants for renewing boilers. Turns out I was wrong - Labour's signalled an intention to vote against the budget which contains funding for a boiler scrappage scheme.

What is it with Labour and budgets?

Mind how you go!