Owning your vote

by C.C.Hamilton

 

I think I have said before that I would never tell anyone how to vote but I think it is important that we all all own our vote. We have to be big enough to say “I voted for that party and for these reasons.” I am always, then, interested to read people voting Tory in this election based on the “No IndyRef” rhetoric. What they are of course voting for is to deny themselves a vote on Scotlands future. Voting to deny yourself your democratic right. Of course, people are buying into the Ruth Davidson line, parrotted on TV at the weekend that “NO ONE in Scotland wants another referendum” that is another lie from someone seeming to speak for Scotland while also saying that “The SNP is not Scotland.” In actual fact recent polling suggest 50% fancy another referendum in the near future and 58% think that it should be a matter for the Scottish Parliament where it has already passed with majority support. So to vote, simply on the referedum question is actually voting to deny the very democracy we claim to hold so dear. But there is a wider picture here. You don’t get to say I am voting Tory to deny another referendum and just ignore the rupugnant and divisive nature of THIS Conservative Party. Have a look at this shameful list:

  • Family cap (no child benefit for 3rd child)
  • The Rape Clause (exemption for a child born after being raped, as long as you fill in an 8 page form, relive the abuse and name the child!)
  • Cuts to winter fuel allowance for pensioners, which will be devolved but we dont know when. The Scottish Government has said it wont cut.
  • The bedroom tax, which, again, the Scottish Government mitigates.
  • Getting rid of the triple lock protecting pensions.
  • Awful benefit sanctions regime
  • Damage done to our industry by the Tories in the 80’s still felt today.
  • The sell out of our fishing industry as “expendable” in the 70’s
  • The bigotry, racism and homophobia exposed in a number of new councillors.
  • Dog Whistle Sectarian terms used by senior MSP’s on Social Media
  • Increased food bank usage.
  • Removing free school meals for infants. Scottish Government will protect.
  • And thats all before we get to the fact that both the PM and the Tory leader in Scotland told us all before the EU Referendum that BREXIT was a bad idea. Ruth even telling us we were being lied to and now telling us that we just have to suck it up and make the best of it. A PM refusing to debate her policies ahead of an election. An election she said 6 times (at least) wouldnt happen. The EU negotiators must be rubbing their hands at the prospect of facing her.

Few of us will ever agree wholeheartedly with the party we vote for. I will vote SNP this time but have voted many other ways in the past but this Tory party stands for some pretty abhorrant and vile policies and include some pretty vile characters at their core. Not to be trusted with Scotland Ever. Be careful with your vote.

 

Debates

What a contrast in the dabates this time around. The ITV one minus the PM and Corbyn was enjoyable, policy was debated in a decent manner, had ntelligent questions and chaired well. Matters raised which were devolved was pointed out to the viewers but the devolved administrations still had ample time to make a point. The Channel 4 debate this week, again benefitted from being well chaired and enjoyed intelligent contributions from the audience. I will come on to Paxman later. Compare that to the shambolic BBC Scotland attempt where Sarah Smith was dreadful,we had the awful spin room idea again (why are journalists interviewing journalists?!) and Kez and Ruth screaming away. Totally dominated by devolved issues after Ruth had a disaster trying to defend immigration. Either we just dont have the talent up here to produce decent debates where policy and ideas can be explored or it’s to do with who you know. But I find it hard to believe that Sarah Smith would be anywhere near a TV studio if it wasnt for who her father was. Grim stuff and shame on the BBC and most of the politicians involved. Also worth noting that Claire Austin’s claim that she was asked back on to this debate as she hadn’t been allowed to ask a question on question time has never been properly addressed by the BBC. Something smells around Pacific Quay and it ain’t the Clyde!

 

Angry Men

 

One good thing to come out of this campaign has been that it is now clear that the old boys network of Andrew Neil, Andrew Marr, Jeremy Paxman and David Dimbleby or yesterdays men. Some quite dreadful performances from all of them in recent weeks,capped off by Paxman the other night. I want to hear politcians allowed to speak, develop ideas and feel safe to speak off the cuff and be honest. As it is politicians resort to robotic answers in the face of bullying, hostile behaviour from these guys. I think in this campaign we have seen that people like Faisal Islam can do things differently and still be effective. In Scotland I am not so sure, our reliance on Ponsonby, Brewer Smith and Bird, leaves us well short of the quality required for grown up political debate.

 

Nicola Sturgeon

 

I think it says a lot for the FM in the face of a mostly hostile press that she fronts up for each debate and answers questions patiently while the others around her are shouting and bawling. Or avoiding the debates as the PM has.  Much like Corbyn, in that respect, she has refined her technique and become much more measured in her approach. Admiitedly her opposite numbers come across as just shouty bullies devoid of any actual policy but she has done well. As I have said before I am no SNP fanboy but I am particularly dismayed at Kezia’s performance because I genuinely think she is better than that. Ruth is a Tory and that’s what mostTories do: They shut down debate because they know that if the electorate get to their real policies they would never hold office. So they make a lot of noise and bully and bluster and the debate is over before you know it. If Ruth Davidson didn’t have the support of her former collegues in the media and the bigot vote in Scotland she would be gone long before now, because she just isn’t very good. Kezia is different and is capable of much better. My main critcism of the FM is that she becomes a bit robotic at times under pressure. I think she is an honest and decent, hardworking FM but there is only so many times we can hear slogans like “stronger for Scotland” before it starts to sound like a soundbite to avoid a question and she is tarnished with the “all politcians are the same” criticism. This is not the the land of milk and honey and this SNP Government is not perfect by any means but it is doing well and in many areas is doing better than others in the UK. It is good to hear her take responsibility for the education issues, in contrast, for example to Ruth Davidson’s avoidance of the Rape Clause debate and her lack of response to the Racist/Sectarian stuff from Councillors and activists in the last few weeks. The FM’s patience in defending devolved issues in a Westminster election campaign has shamed some in the  Media and Opposition parties who have tried to set the agenda of “SNP bad.”

 

Polls tightening

As the polls seemingly tighten. Wouldn’t it be bizarre if our rural and fishing communities voted for the Tory Party MP’s that has sold them out in the past, the Tories ended up out of power and it was Nicola Sturgeons SNP that held the balance of power!

 

A nice Tory

It was great to speak at length the other day with a local Conservative Councillor. He has been in office now for almost 20 years and has proven to be a fine local councillor regardless of party affiliations. He was dismayed by the number of, in his words,”rockets” who had been elected for his party in the recent council elections. He was also at pains to point out that council politics often is nasty when it doesn’t need to be because of party politics. He cited the Lib Dems and the Tories in his council who politicise every issue and admitted he has become frustrated that local issues are alwys framed around the national political climate and councillors being told to toe the Party line as directed by central office. It makes you wonder if local politics should be out of political party hands and back to Councillors serving their communities first and always. Just goes to show that there are decent Tories out there though folks! Be nice to them.

 

Claire Austin

 

A final word on Claire Austin who was lauded by Kezia and the media after she (rightly) had a go at Nicola Sturgeon on TV over nurses pay. Its not been a good time for her. People commenting on her social media profiles, press doorstepping her and now reportedly a fine for a row with neighbours. But her story did make me think. My wife and I earn a fair bit less than Ms Austin, between us we have been made redundant (through no fault of our own) 3 times in the last 12 years, we have 2 children but thankfully we have never had to use foodbanks. Indeed when we shop we usually buy an extra bag of food to donate to the local foodbank. We may be just lucky, we have a fine family around us who helped in our hour of need, but we are careful with our money, try to save a bit for a rainy day. So when what felt like a disaster of redundancy happened we managed to tighten our belts, dip into our savings and fortunately picked up work wherever,doing whatever we could. None of this is really relative to Ms Austin, of course, as we do not know the circumstances of her referral to a foodbank and no one should be using foodbnks in 2017 anyway. But it does make it dificult for people like us who are on low income to fully understand the point she was making. By the way, we still do OK. We manage a family holiday every year, a special trip to Disneyland Paris every few years, weekends away, we have a decent car. We manage and we make choices every day on what we can afford. It doesn’t make us any better than anyone else. It is just how it is and how we choose to live our life. I hope we never have to use foodbanks but I am very grateful for the work they do particularly for those let down by the benefit system or those struggling to “just manage” as the PM put it. I truly hope Claire Austin never has to use one again either and I wish her well. The biggest sadness in this, though,  is that it was a fine question but asked for all the wrong reasons and used by people like Kezia Dugdale and sections of the media to score political points, therefore diluting the point.

 

 

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The many lies of Ruth Davidson

(If there are any we’re missing – let us know in the comments and we’ll add it. Links for evidence would also help)

Ruth lied when she said 1/5 Scots children leave primary school ‘functionally illiterate’[1].

Ruth lied she said the rape clause only require victims to “tick a box” to receive exemption[2].

Ruth lied when she said Scotland attract only four per cent of the UK’s immigrants[3].

Ruth lied when she said child poverty and inequality has fallen since the Tory government came to office[4].

Ruth lied when she said that “No means we stay in, we are members of the European Union[5].”

Ruth lied when she said the SNP was obsessed with independence, when actually the opposite is true[6].

Ruth lied when she said that the SNP’s governance would deter investment[7].

Ruth lied  when she said the UK government was not taking disability vehicles away[8].

Ruth lied when she said the SNP don’t have a mandate for a #ScotRef. The people elected a pro-independence majority Scottish parliament[9].

Ruth lied when it came to college places[10].

 

[1] https://theferret.scot/one-in-five-children-dont-leave-primary-school-functionally-illiterate/

[2] https://theferret.scot/rape-victims-dont-just-tick-box-receive-tax-credit-exemption/

[3] https://theferret.scot/scotland-attracts-four-percent-uk-immigrants/

[4] The IFS and http://www.thenational.scot/politics/14891078.Ruth_Davidson_attacked_for_making_pledges_on_child_poverty/

[5]http://www.thenational.scot/politics/14894562.Ruth_Davidson_accused_of____enormous_U_Turn____on_Europe/

[6] https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2017/04/25/the-monomaniacal-single-obsession-party/

https://indyref2.scot/whos-really-obsessing-about-independence

https://stv.tv/news/politics/1387481-sturgeon-davidson-has-obsession-about-independence/

http://thenational.scot/news/15256624.Carolyn_Leckie__Ruth_Davidson_needs_to_stop_talking_about_independence_and_get_on_with_the_day_job/

[7] https://beta.gov.scot/news/record-breaking-year-for-foreign-direct-investment/

[8] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39575293

[9] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-32662333/snp-wins-landslide-general-election-victory-in-scotland

http://www.thenational.scot/politics/15231355.James_Kelly__SNP_will_struggle_to_keep_all_of_their_56_seats_but_another_sizeable_majority_looks_inevitable/

[10] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-35323748

List was inspired by Tweets from

 

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Dear Older Voters

by C.C Hamilton

Dear older voters. 

Please don’t vote vote for the party who have in the manifesto to cut your pension, cut your winter fuel payments and take away free school meals for kids.  

Please don’t vote for the party of benefit sanctions, tax credit cuts and the rape clause. Please don’t vote in Scotland for the party whose MSP’S think it is acceptable to use “we are the people” to troll people on the Internet opening old sectarian wounds. 

 Please don’t vote Tory because you don’t want to put a cross in a box in 2 years time if there is a referendum.  

YOUR generation, more than any other, know what the Tories did to Scotland under Thatcher. Don’t let them do it again. Vote for the party who works everyday for Scotland. They don’t always get it right but at least they fucking believe in Scotland and our people and our right to choose our own path.  

And in 2 years time just vote NO, if that’s your choice. But at least there is a party that are saying that it should be your choice.  Don’t vote for the party who thinks you are not capable of making that choice. 

Please think about it. Don’t vote to be poorer. Don’t vote to stop YOU having choice. 

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The bottom of the barrel being scraped.

by C.C.Hamilton

 

There has been a surge I support for the Conservative Party in Scotland and it got me thinking why?

There has been a lot of pointless thrashing about on Social Media about it from supporters of the other parties. I think it is a perfect storm of Ruth being the darling of her former colleagues in the media, disgruntled Labour Supporters looking for a new home and a general malaise once again in Scottish politics. Which is, of course what the Conservatives thrive on. They know that older, wealthier people are more likely to vote than young, working class. So they have made it a war of attrition, helped by their friends in the right wing media, where there is no actual policies discussed in any detail. Just a platform of screaming “No 2nd Independence Referendum!” That catch all phrase pulls in EU Leave Voters, No voters, Fed Up voters as well as their core support.

However, the last couple of weeks have been quite an eye opener and I would urge everyone being seduced by the No referendum rhetoric to read on and see just what is going on in the background of this party. Behind the glossy smiles and positive headlines, it has become clear that there is a lack of competency, lack of decency in some senior positions and lack of any ambition for Scotland as we move forward. So I have pulled together some examples, in the absence of any real scrutiny from the Scottish Press.

-Glasgow MSP Annie Wells tied herself in all sorts of knots last week on TV trying to defend immigration policy. It is very clear that the Scottish Conservatives are all over the place on this issue and it is an important one. Many people voting for them,voted for BREXIT and fora lot Immigration was central to that vote. While the UK Government want to reduce Immigration the Scottish Tories are critcising the Scottish Government for not attracting MORE immigrants to Scotland. So if you are voting Tory for LESS immigration in Scotland, it might be worth having another look.

-The Prime Minister, the actual Prime Minister, went on TV last week and accused the SNP of being fined for a breach of Election Spending Limits. Credit to the Chris Musson at the Sun for clearing up that this was a lie, and getting quotes from the proper authorites to prove that. It is surely a worry that the Prime Minister can,just about, get away with such a smear on a political rival.

-The Prime Minister, in the absence of any real plan it seems, on Brexit has called a General Election AFTER triggering Article 50 at a time when she has told the Scottish Government they cant have a special deal on BREXIT. Also that the Scottish people will not be allowed to vote on the BREXIT deal, despite 62% voting to remain in the EU and the Scottish Parliament having a majority for another vote once the terms of BREXIT are known.This is PM who is touring the UK hiding from actual voters, preselecting questions from journalists and refusing to debate live on TV. I am willing to bet we will all look back on this campaign and be very disappointed at the behaviour of not only the PM but the media, who should be holding this behaviour to account. Whatever your thoughts on the constiutional question you surely can see the rank hypocricy of this.

-In all the excitement in the media, trying to play down the SNP’s victory in the Council election a worring trend of New Conservative elected representative emerged.

Cllr Alistair Majury was found to be the man behind influential Unionist Twitter account Mulder 1981 which  frequently used Sectarian and Racist terms, called supported of self determination for Scotland Nazis and hilariously used a website bragging about the size of his penis, giving rise to the boabygate hashtag. Cllr Majury has since been asked to step back from his role in the Boys Brigade and over the weekend featured on the cover of Scottish Catholic Observer, who condemned his language and offered support from the Nil By Mouth group. The Conservative party, while condemning his language, apparently talked him OUT of resigning his position on the council.

-Councillor Robert Davies elected on the same night to the same council has been reported for racist language used on photographs appearing on his twitter feed. Apparently it is joking to link Coloured people to Cannibalism. The photos are online,you can make up your own mind.

-Councillor Eric Holford elected for Airdrie and Shotts has been criticised for his comments on the NHS.  Appearing to claim that Fleming would have been better to have not discovered penicillin and wishing to deny people life prolonging drugs due to the burdon the NHS. Cllr Holford appeared on this weeks Question Time, was chosen for questions and was asked to come back on reponses from the panel. Did he declare his position to the BBC team? It is worth seeing just to note his nods to the panel when the camera comes on him. Very telling.

-Newly elected councillor to Argyll and Bute Alistair Redman is a pretty devisive figure. A serial letter writer to the local papers, after his election he wrote the standard thank you letter but took time to highlight the “Separatists” who said he wouldnt be elected. In a letter where he claimed to be accessable to all it was surely a bit odd to use that terminology. So much for bringing the people together.

-John W. Buchan, (not to be confused with the many other Buchans in the fishin industry!) was pictured in his capacity as head of one of the fishing organisations courting the support of Scottish Conservatives with Ruth Davidson. It emerged later that his Social Media presence was pretty awful frankly. Racist, Sectarian, Homophobic language used frequently alongside some disgusting name calling towards the First Minister. Even seeming to call for Holyrood to be blown up and for physical harm to come to the First Minister. Mr Buchan is a prominent member of the fishing community in the North East, an activist for Scotland In Union and was featured in a video produced by No Borders during the Referendum campaign. Are we really to believe that his fishing colleagues, in particular the very influential and darling of the Scottish Media Bertie Armstrong, the local prospective MP (also pictured) nor the Conservative Party who set up the visit new nothing of his aggressive views? The thing about this is, most Scots, regardless of the costitutional question, are hugely sympathetic to the fishing situation. We are very proud of our fisherman and most of us agree that the CFP which the Tories signed  up for is no longer fit for purpose. In an independent Scotland fishing (and farming) would be a huge part of our economy but in the much bigger UK it is as the Tories said in their briefing paper “expendable.” If this was about the future of fishing they would be engaging with all political parties, not just the ones like UKIP and the Scottish Conservatives who suit their POLITICAL and, some would argue their religious, agenda. That is very sad. But if the views of Mr Buchan is representative of the wider fishing community, they will find theselves losing the huge support they have for their cause, particularly those who wish for an Independent Scotland.

-Follow on from that then the use of terms like WATP (We are the people) by prominent Conservative MSP’s Professor Adam Tomkins and Murdo Fraser on social media. In light of the recent emegence of Sectarian language used by councillors and activists, it is very telling that Professor Tomkins has been given “puff” pieces in the Sunday Herald and the Scottish Catholic Observer this week. It is to the shame of both of these publications that neither confronted him with his use of this term and others. As a young person growing up my friends and I were frequently intimidated by poeople sreaming “We arra peepil!” in our faces. Usually around marching season or after old Firm Games. Please don’t tell me it’s about football as it was usually screamed at me by people who knew me and that knew I had no interest in either side of the Old Firm. Now I dont believe either of the MSPs are using it to intimidate, but it is playing to a particular audience and an attempt to troll another and is frankly distatesful and unbecoming of elected officials.

-Why just today, Ruth Davidson seems to be wading in to accuse Jeremy Corbyn of “wanting the IRA to win.” Now if that is NOT trying to antagonise and motivate a certain type of Scot then I do not know what is. People should be very careful of supporting this woman at this time. She is emboldened and gallus and very, very shouty. There is real concern here that the rhetoric is a return to the Scotland of old. Intemperate language is ill advised.

-No piece on the current crop of Conservatives would be complete without talking about the Family Cap and the Rape Clause. It was very telling in Ruth’s recent cringworthy interview on Radio 5 live with Emma Barnett that she is uncomfortable defending it. She could not at any time say the word “rape” and skirted around the issue several times. They have told us that it is a matter of ticking a box, getting a third party support worker to fill it in for you. They are all over the place on it.The idea of a cap on child benefit is disgusting, the idea that women who have been raped have to apply for an excemption is abhorrant. To have to re-live the ordeal, name the child, discuss intimate, personal detals with a health worker to get £13 is a damn disgace and shames everyone of us that allows it to happen. Add that to the NHS data hack and are we really sure this most private and personal information would be safe? In the same interview Ruth got into a terrible mess trying to defend the PM’s plans to reduce immigration to tens of thousands while still trying to square that with her assertion that Scotland should take more immigrants. Have a listen, it’s out there, she really isn’t very good.

-Footage emerged this week of Ross Thomson MSP trying to defend the Bedroom Tax, a policy which the Scottish Government has mitigated here. He says it is “great” but when pressed on how many of his constiuents it would affect, he couldnt answer. Out of touch and out of his depth, he rambled on and said NOTHING.

-Douglas Ross, desperate to unseat Angus Robertson in Moray, took to the papers last week complaining that he had to turn down running the line in a Champions League match because people were complaining when he missed important Holyrood business for football. However, should he take his place in the House of Commons he still plans to officaite at football as its his hobby. A hobby that bring him in substatial earnings. So it’ll be London Mon-Thursday, running the line on a Saturday and I hope the SFA do not show any favouritism in his travelling and training through the week. All that and surgeries/committees to get through. The good people of Moray should choose wisely on that one.

-Not confined to Scotland though, Tory Somerset hopeful James Heappey told a schoolgirl to “Fuck Off back to Scotland!” during a recent visit to her school.The discussion apparently got onto the prospect of Scottish independence and when she said she would vote yes, he came up with THAT considered reply. Blood and Soil Nationalism anyone? His response?? He apologised for any offence and it was a joke.

-We also had Tory Councillor Nick Harrington during the Eurovision having a bizarre rant at the Irish and Gypsies.

Now compare all of that with Professor Tom Divines fine piece in the Scotsman last week saying that the SNP had actually been a barrier to blood and soil nationalism in Scotland and in some ways commending Pro Indy Scots for NOT being affected by the big numbers of English voters who voted NO in the referendum. No pats on the backs though, we have our fair share of crazies and they should be called out and shamed at every turn. There is no place for intolerence in our country, we can disagree on the constitution and direction but we all have to do better and that has to be led by elected officials.

Compare Conservative policies like the Family Cap, Rape Clause, Bedroom Tax, Benefit sanctions with SNP policies like Free School meals for P1-3, Free Prescriptions, No Bridge Tolls, Free Bus Travel, Road Equivelent tariffs on Ferries and mitigating the Bedroom Tax. Compare performance of the NHS in Scotland with that of the rest of the UK. Of course it’s not all great. There is work do be done on Education, the Health Service and in supporting industry. In eradicating child poverty and homelessness.But these are not unique to Scotland. These are challenges faced by the whole UK. And actually in a General Election campaign where no one is talking about policy have no real bearing. But I think underline the different priorities and the fact that the SNP have to try to minimise the impact of the worst Tory policies on Scots. That is not healthy.

In closing I would ask you to compare the coverage of Neil Hay’s comments in the lead up to the last general election and the coverage of Pete Wisharts link to a chewing the fat joke at the council elections to the LACK of coverage of the racist and sectarian messages I have detailed above and ask yourself WHY is there no balance and what else are you not being told.  Make an informed decision at this General Election, who will stand up for your constituency and Scotland? Will it be a back bench Tory MP whipped into line or an SNP MP driving them nuts fighting for the best deal for Scotland.? It has been a long time since Scotland had such a hard working group of MP’s in the House of Commons, so I urge you to give them another tilt at it. Lets see if they can get a deal to keep us in the Single Market yet and if there is another referendum you can always just vote no again.

 

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