Almost a year into government, and the people of Scotland have seen nothing but cheap rhetoric and lies.
Tartan Tories. Nothing more, nothing less.
1) "1000 more police officers." If found please return...
2) "Labour's school building programme matched brick for brick." Nice soundbite- I like it. Symbolism, with the bricks. Get it? Brick to brick?? Bricks?? Get it...??? Told you it was good. Shame not one's been built yet.
3) "Dump student debt." I am waiting in great anticipation...
4) "First time buyers a £2000 grant." Cheque or credit card- whichever you prefer.
5) "Class sizes reduced to 18 in the first 3 years of school." But they're sooo cute! How could you say no to that?!
They are a farce of a government. And many arrived into government with good intentions, I really do believe that. I wonder what the lefties of their party think like Bill Kidd or Alec Neil? No wonder they're never in the chamber- all couried up in a corner like a scared puppy.
An unaccountable government. Responsibility escapes them.
BLOG NOW ARCHIVED
6 years ago
6 comments:
Interesting observations Matt. Why though are the SNP government so unaccountable?
Is it because they have a commanding Holyrood majority, where they can steamroll through legislation while the huddled ranks of unionists sit helplessly by? I think not.
Or is it because Labour under the leadership of the 'Perfect 10' has utterly failed to provide any competent opposition to a minority government in it's very first year of office?
Professional,
I'm afraid your line of defense is symbolic of the entire administration.
These promises, particularly that of student debt, was not even put to Parliament in the current Executive's Budget.
If you truly believed in it you should propose and stand up to it.
Some criticised me because Labour did not propose the scrapping of student debt as a policy, but we didn't promise it because we knew it couldn't be delivered. And unlike your goodselves, we actually expected to win the election!
If it's not London's fault, it's ours. Sorry.
If you know the abolition of student debt can't be delivered, why do you want it brought before the Parliament?
You need to raise your standards. People aren't interested in petty partisan point-scoring through pointless defeats in the chamber.
The SNP are focussing on what can be achieved and what can be accepted by the other parties (see road tolls, see prescription charges, see extra police) meanwhile you want them to bring doomed policies forward so you can have a laugh shooting them down in flames.
Grow up.
It's not about whether we support policies or not. I would love excellent public services and no taxation, but that can't happen. That's why politics is about compromise, and what the SNP are compromising in order to put through policies which make no more than a good headline is a disgrace.
Re: your comment:
"If you truly believed in it you should propose and stand up to it."
It's a shame you wrote this at the same time as your heroic PM and his puppet chancellor were frantically trying to buy off Labour backbenchers on the 10p starting rate issue - in order to avoid an impending defeat on the budget bill.
Should we conclude then that Gordon and Alistair didn't truly believe in the last two budgets? If they did then surely they should have been prepared to stand up for them and take the defeat on the chin next week?
Or does your belief in kamikaze legislation only hold when it's an SNP government involved?
And incidentally - I note that you leapt to the default Scottish Labour position that anyone criticising you is in the SNP. I'm not. You don't have to be a Nat to deplore the farcical opposition in Scotland, and incompetent government in Westminster.
Professional,
I think you raised some good points in your last post.
Firstly, if you do believe in somehting, you should stand up for it. Absolutely. But as I said, while there is no doubt this is a good policy, it was never a feasable one, and therefore Labour did not propose it. You can't just give give give with no cost. The cost would have been a harsh cut in public services or tax hike, and I believe Labour's position on this issue is the right one.
In response to the 10p tax, it is clear the government took the correct course. They made a decision which was done without proper consultation or thought on impact, and so on reflection changed that decision. I'm afraid the rest is gossip nonsense. I myself actually spoke out against the abolition of the 10p rate, even on my comrade's blog 'Kez' Soapbox' where she was supporting the Government's decision before the U-turn.
I am sorry I made the assumption you were a Nationalist.
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