When the SNP were elected last May, they claimed to want to start a 'national debate'. There is no debate to be had with nationalism, because their very existence is based solely on the fact that the debate for them over whether Scotland should stay in the union or not has already been concluded. I wouldn't form a political party whose only policy was to paint Edinburgh purple to then get elected and open it up to debate on whether it should be purple, or maybe blue or pink instead. The national conversation is one of the biggest wastes of public money I have seen, and I have seen a fair bit in the last year.
It was announced today that despite it costing the tax payer £48 000 to print copies 'Choosing Scotland's Future', they have sold a mere 262. At least John Grisham can sleep in peace knowing that it probably won't knock his next thriller. But for the rest of us, it's not quite as rosy. This figure is for me symbolic of what this government's priorities are, and when it comes down to it, people really aren't interested.
Personally, I love the website. I love it how some of you Nats out there (many of whom will be reading this) leave your comments about 'burning the Union Jack' and do nothing but rant rant about how we get completely ripped off by the 'land of milk and honey', because you do my job for you; it makes your whole party seem stupid, and silences those within it who genuinely do want what's best for Scotland, and who want to take part in a constructive debate. The Nationalist conversation is so over run by the for-mentioned 'nasty bloggers' that it completely undermines the whole thing, even if it is nationalist propaganda paid for by public funds.
Parliamentary Questions opened up some interesting facts;
1) Three people are employed full time to run the National Conversation.
2) The voluntary sector has received £87 000 to facilitate it (despite the fact that so many voluntary organisations are being forced to close).
3) The website's regulations are in line with the 'blogging convention'. (A trusty document if ever there was one...)
It is impossible for the SNP to show as much interest to anything else other than Independence, because they simply do not care. Take a look.
Any schools built? NO
Any hospitals built? NO
Any support for voluntary organisation? NO
Any support for students? NO
Any support for first time buyers? NO
Any support for the disabled? NO
Any drive to build up resentment with England and stir up racism? YES YES YES...
We are now living in political stagnation. If you think the £1 you paid to cross the Forth Road Bridge was Scotland's biggest problem and injustice you were wrong. Politics is hard, it's tough, and it's about time the SNP realised that they're no longer a party in opposition, but a party in government.
BLOG NOW ARCHIVED
6 years ago
9 comments:
Personally Matt, I'd suggest the "nasty bloggers" are those who rip people to shreds with weak arguments and even weaker literacy, then when asked to account for it in a perfectly polite and reasonable manner, delete the post and run away like a scolded child.
Removing the post I put up yesterday does not validate your arguments.
And just for the record - I'm not a Nationalist, I have no defined political persuasion. Further to the comments of Professional Cynic - be prepared to face your critics face on, just as you suggest Salmond does...
treehugger,
The reason your post was deleted was because I am totally within my rights to delete posts on my blog which are offensive and/or completely outwith political debate. Your post did that, and the response you have given to each of my posts has proved that you have simply not grasped the point I was making. In fact, you have completely missed it.
I have made it clear that I am more than willing to face my critics, but the point must be made clear, that it is the SNP who should be held to account, not Labour.
Labour aren't the ones closing nurseries, cutting funding for the disabled or being completely dishonest over the consequences of an independent Scotland.
And making shallow comments about Salmond's appearance and weight is within political debate? I asked what relevance it bore to anything and you haven't been able to give an answer, which would suggest there isn't one.
You state that Labour are not the ones cutting funding for the disabled - I think you'll find that thousands of disabled people are currently caught in a benefits trap as a result of a Labour government taking a one-sided view of all physical and mental disability.
Ask disability rights campaigners who they feel they have greater contention with - Labour or SNP.
My question of you, Matt, is this - Scottish people voted in their thousands for the SNP. Do you malign the views of all who lost faith in Labour and took the chance to see what change might bring? What do you consider coninced those people to turn from Labour and take an extreme step toward nationalism? You are against the SNP, but as yet I see no solid argument to support your views and as someone yet to commit to one party or the other - you're convincing me that a Labour vote is a wasted vote. You do your party no favours with your generalised views.
I would never marginalise the voters of a particular party. It is with great frustration that I see people vote for 'change' for simply the sake of change, and no other reason. Further to that, we have seen no change what so ever. We are living in political stagnation, and it's hurting our most vulnerable people.
Under Labour, funding was at its highest for voluntary organisations, and departments like social work grew immensely under Labour.
You believe that those supporting the vulnerable have less to complain about with the SNP than with Labour?
Why don't you ask the following?;
Edinburgh Cyrenians- £28 800 CUT
Chest, Heart and Stroke group- £2250 CUT
Positive Voice- £1688 CUT
Capital City- £15 000 CUT
Gorgie Dalry Partnership- CLOSED
Foursquare- £17 000 CUT
Turning Point- £21 000 CUT
The list goes on and on, and it's growing at a scale you wouldn't believe. Just because you turn your back on a problem doesn't make it go away.
The Labour Party offers positive choice for people, and recognises that real freedom is hard for those who are vulnerable, and will continue to stand with them throughout these tough times.
Yes, they wanted change. Well they got it, and we should ensure that the political unpopularity of Labour doesn't stand in the way of fairness. Unfortunately, it really does.
Quote, your blog 11/06: "I would never marginalise the voters of a particular party."
Quote, your blog 10/06: "I love it how some of you Nats out there (many of whom will be reading this) leave your comments about 'burning the Union Jack' and do nothing but rant rant about how we get completely ripped off by the 'land of milk and honey'"
In the space of 24 hours, you walk all over your own arguments, because you do little else BUT marginalise those who voted SNP.
I ask again - What do you consider convinced people to turn from Labour and take an extreme step toward nationalism? Not all SNP voters necessarily support nationalism, in fact I suspect a huge proportion of them voted that way because they were so disillusioned by what Labour presented.
The Labour party, and those who support them, must surely understand - thousands moved away for a reason, and that reason is unlikely to be that they were seeking a split from the rest of the UK.
Gordon Brown is floundering in Number 10, Wendy Alexander is floundering in Holyrood - and yet you continue to Nat-bash as if Labour have nothing to answer for.
Remember saying this back in March?
"We do offer a different tomorrow, we just need to make the people know what's on offer". How about using your blog to spread some positive messages about what the Labour party offers rather than negative ones about the SNP? Slagging matches achieve nothing other than animosity.
Dear all
Point 1 to treehugger
"some of you Nats out there..."
I said 'some' for a reason.
Point 2 for Skye
What will truly show the depth and governance abilities of the Labour party is time. I shall continue to blog positive and negative articles, but what I will not do is sit on the sidelines and watch elected members in councils and parliament continue their crusade of 'speaking left and acting right'.
The overwhelming number of anti Labour bloggers force me to be defensive, and that is imminantly going to be negative. I feel very positive about my party, and I shall blog something nice and positive for you...!
What will truly show the depth and governance abilities of the Labour party is time.
Truly ludicrous - you've been in office for eleven years at Westminster, eight of the last nine at Holyrood, and held virtual hegemony over local government in Scotland for decades.
Your problem is not that people need to see the depth and governance abilities of Labour - your problem is that they've already seen them all too clearly, and for far too long.
I don't relish the return to government of the Tories - but unfortunately I've come to hold in absolute contempt a government I had such high hopes for (and actually voted for a couple of times)
As you've just said yourself - there are an "overwhelming number of Anti-Labour bloggers" forcing you to be defensive.
I'll ask for the third time - What do you consider convinced people to turn from Labour and take an extreme step toward nationalism? Any reason you can't answer that?
The best form of defence is some sort of explanation for your need to be defensive of a Labour government that has very clearly got it wrong somewhere down the line...
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