A tune called ‘Integrity’ (Peter Dodge)
As someone who was campaigning for the Liberal party before Alistair Carmichael was out of wearing hippens I may be forgiven for harbouring a tinge of regret for its dramatic demise and potential extinction. However, The Shetland Times end of year contributions from Mr Carmichael and Tavish Scott pretty well sum up as to why the Liberals deserve to disappear off the landscape and I for one will not mourn their passing.
Did we get to read a catalogue of the party’s recent achievements? Did we get to ponder over an extensive list of aspirations and must dos for 2015? No chance, just pathetically sad attacks on the Scottish government, the First Minister and her deputy.
No doubt the assault, not only on Nicola Sturgeon but circumstantially on young, aspirational Scots in general, is a mere prelude and rehearsal for what is to follow as the Liberals turn their venom on their Tory, Westminster coalition partners. They have plenty of form in that respect, witness their pre-election attacks on their previous Labour partners in the Scottish executive.
Unfortunately for them, the majority of their previous voters will recall the numerous broken promises and deceitfulness resulting in even more lost deposits.
Perhaps in Shetland they will limp along retaining the support of the elderly, the apolitical and the apathetic but the youth, the educated, the computer literate and the aspirational are already dancing to a tune called “Integrity”.
Alistair Carmichael would not recognise that tune despite his Islay background but John MacDonald Bannerman and Robert Cunninghame Graham and the true Liberals of the past were note perfect.
As for Mr Carmichael, our so called Secretary of State for Scotland, becoming the leader of the rump of the UK Liberal party, that just leads to a personal, humorously cynical thought. That being; despite his ceaseless attacks on the Scottish government, he possesses next to none of the abilities and attributes necessary to come anywhere near to retaining a position as an SNP Scottish government minister.
Peter Dodge
Aith,
Cunningsburgh.
Gordon Harmer
I most certainly hope Mr Dodge does not put himself in the category he has labelled “dancing to a tune called “integrity”. For his insinuation by association that the elderly are uneducated, apolitical, apathetic, lacking in aspiration and computer illiterate is totally void of any kind of integrity at all. He would do well to remember Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.
I am glad he notes that Mr Carmichael does not have the abilities and attributes to become an SNP government minister. As attributes such as divisiveness, the ability to run a mutual appreciation society instead of an effective government, misleading the Scottish electorate on issues such as currency and EU membership are not exactly conducive to good government.
Talking of good government and without mentioning the demise of the Scottish NHS and transport systems which are the devolved, we have an SNP government who have been given power which they use without responsibility. On top of that they’ve created a noxious atmosphere of “us” (Scots) v “them” (“English”), a divide and conquer strategy to fulfil their own agenda which does not involve running Scotland as the majority wish. What they have done is blame Westminster and the (English) Tories for everything that is wrong with Scotland.
When one considers the huge catalogue of SNP failures in Education alone we begin to see a reoccurring picture. In 2007, the SNP’s manifesto “pledged” to cut Primary 1-3 classes down to no more than 18. This was completely abandoned within 24 months and for four consecutive years, numbers have increased. On average, these classes now have 23.3 children and in some cases (27% of them, in fact), have as many as 26.
Teacher numbers are dropping like a stone (over 4,000 of them) after years of being overseen by the guileless and supremely inefficient Education Secretary, Mike Russell, who spent his entire incumbency dismissing fears from teachers, parents and opposition leaders. The SNP is guilty of yet again, taking it’s eye off the ball, instead of supporting key services like education, NHS and transport they prefer instead to still focus attention solely on “independence”; independence by the back door as the front door has been firmly shut.
As the Scottish Government themselves have conceded, Education is a priority. Thanks to devolution, the Scottish Government alone have the ability and control to create a better Scotland and a brighter future for our children. The above statistics do not provide a vehicle to pass the blame, SNP ministers must stand up, take full responsibility, rectify their mistakes and stop passing the buck because this buck stops in Holyrood not Westminster.
Douglas Young
It is no cause for celebration to see the Tory-supporting Lib Dem Party vanishing from Scotland, just as the Scottish Labour Party are.
As Mr Dodge says, this is more about self destruction than constructive politics.
Both parties attack, attack, attack and still do not grasp that Scottish politics has moved on from the playground.
Gordon Harmer
Scottish politics may have moved on from the playground but the SNP certainly have not, a party who have spat the dummy and thrown all the toys out of the pram since they lost the referendum. A one policy party who would sell the Scottish electorate down the river if a deal could be done on more powers and or independence by the back door. It has been reported that the SNP would be prepared to vote for the bedroom tax in Westminster if it meant doing a deal to take them towards their one policy goal. They act like a child in a supermarket who has been told no and then throws a tantrum until it gets its wish. That wish is now a project mastered by Alex Salmond where he wants to hold the balance of power in Westminster so they can vote against policies that would be good for the UK as a whole unless the party in power give them what they want. Very grown up politics Douglas Young; and just to make a point all this is irrefutable proof that independence was and always will be about the SNP. Something you denied every second day during the referendum campaign which shows that anything you post on here should be taken with a very large pinch of salt.
Robin Stevenson
” It has been reported that the SNP would be prepared to vote for the bedroom tax in Westminster if it meant doing a deal to take them towards their one policy goal”,
Utter Nonsense, link where this is [allegedly] said?….At least if your going to come out with your inane drivel you could actually use fact and not just make it up?
So, why do you think Alex Salmond wants more powers for Scotland instead of leaving a mere 70% taxes and 85% welfare to Westminster because that`s a good thing? tell us Gordon, what`s good about a UK national debt of £1.5 Trillion and rising? remind me of why giving the numerically illiterate Osborne 90% of Scottish oil helps us? who do you think we should use our £3 Billion per year Trident on…erm…ISIS maybe..huh?
The Scottish government abolished the” bedroom tax” debt by using a percentage of our “Block grant” to clear past debts, and you`re saying they should bring it back and then vote for it?..really?
IF [and I certainly do] the SNP hold the balance of power then they will be voting against “Austerity” it doesn`t work, plain and simple, every other Pro-Union party will vote for 5 more years of cuts, that`s £35 Billion per year to save for the next 5 years, and this is a good thing,…are you serious?
Roll on the In/Out Ref on the EU…Indyref#2…..hopefully most people will have now realized they were conned by “Project Fear”….[apart from the odd blinkered few…eh…Gordon?]
iantinkler
Good to see some reality from Douglas Young at last. Is the SNP leaving the Playground? Yes, Alex Salmond, is leaving Holy Rude for an attempt at Westminster, there will be less infantile bluster, scorn, division and of puerile bullying in Edinburgh. Let’s hope Sturgeon can lift the SNP out of the Kindergarten. The endless disingenuous anti-Westminster, anti-British mantra from wee Alex will indeed be a relief to all. How well Peter with his unwavering criticism of all those whom do not support his narrow views and prejudices highlights the true meaning of the word Nationalist.
Johan Adamson
No more heroes any more