The White Elephant in the Room

Today I managed to catch up with Friends of the Earth Scotland who had set up their "Nuclear White Elephant" in Edinburgh. They were out campaigning against the creation of a new generation of nuclear power stations, and I have to say I totally agree with them. And not only do I agree with them, but so do the people of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth according to our survey returns.

As I have mentioned before on the blog we have been busily delivering surveys across the constituency and one of the questions we have asked is whether or not people believe that new nuclear power stations should be constructed. And they have delivered a resounding no to such a suggestion. 66.3% of those who responded were against with a mere 14.2% for (the remaining 19.5% said that they don't know).

I'm with them on this one. Nuclear power is hugely expensive and leaves us with radioactive waste that will pollute for hundreds of years to come. It is also unnecessary given that in Scotland we produce more power than we consume.

Far from building new nuclear power stations we should be investing in Scotland's renewable energy potential. The power of wind, wave and the Sun (no jokes about the power from the latter being negligible in Scotland please!) should be harnessed.

We have the potential to be world leaders in green sources of energy. For the benefit of our environment we should take it as well as the benefits to our economy this can bring.

The Polls Before the Polls

Once again apologies for the lull in postings on the blog of late. Reverting to the excuse I used previously, but I have been totally rushed off my feet of late with the campaign as we approach frantic phase of the election.

Anyway, today's Times Newspaper made for interesting reading. They published a poll undertaken by Populus on their behalf which indicates that the SNP message in this campaign is really resonating with people across Scotland. It suggests that we are fully ten percentage points ahead of Labour on the constituency vote. This is obviously fantastic news from my perspective and certainly made for pleasant reading this morning.

However, despite is being an oft used cliche, the only poll that really matters is that on election day itself. So, although I enjoyed today's story I won't be taking anything for granted. A lot of work has still to be put in between now and 3rd May to ensure that we get the sort of result suggested in today's Times and that we win in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. I intend to make that my primary objective over the coming weeks - so expect fewer and farther between posts on the blog!

For details of the poll have a look at:

http://www.populuslimited.com/

Cut the spin on Brown's tax "cut"

I have been quick to criticise elements of the media for some of their coverage of the SNP of late, so I should give credit where credit is due. The response of the vast majority of the media to Gordon Brown's budget today (widely suspected to be his last) really hit the nail on the head when it came to his supposed 2p cut to the basic rate of income tax. They have spotted this for the piece of spin that it really is.

As with much in life, the Devil is in the detail with Chancellor Broon's alterations to the level of taxation.

What may at first seem a straightforward tax cut aimed at low income and lower middle income families was anything but. What Gordon didn't say in his speech to the House of Commons today was that not only was he dropping the basic rate of tax from 22% to 20% but he was simultaneously ditching the 10% starting rate as well.

This means that where once we were paying 10% on our income between roughly the level of £6,000 to £8,000 (our first £6k was and remains tax free) we will now pay 20% on that income. This will of course be offset for those on a decent wage, as the reduced level of taxation they pay on the rest of their income will make up for this.

However, for those in part time employment or those on minimum wage, today's change to the levels of taxation will make for a worrying announcement. Far from seeing a tax cut, these people will see a tax hike. Once this new tax regime is instituted they will actually be paying more in income tax.

So much for Labour being the party of hard working families. These low paid families will see less money in their pockets to fund a cut in taxation that those earning more will benefit from. This is redistribution working in the wrong direction.

So for those in the Labour Party who expect to see a return to more traditional Labour values under a Brown premiership I have a message. Wake up and take a reality check. Brown has no more intention of returning to these values than Tony Blair ever did.

The poor confused Scottish media

The news that the SNP has published its plans for the first one hundred days of government (incidentally, this can be accessed at http://www.snp.org/policies/government-communities/the-first-100-days-of-an-snp-government) has provoked a number of interesting responses. The Daily Record came away with the all too predictable nonsense headline "SNP Plot 'Chaos and Turmoil' for the UK" (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=snp-plot--chaos-and-turmoil--for-the-uk--&method=full&objectid=18779565&siteid=66633-name_page.html). Indeed, much of the media seemed to concentrate on the idea that the SNP intends a head long collision with the London based Labour government should we win the election. The Scotsman even erroneously stated, "the document made it clear that an SNP-led administration would pick fights with Westminster from day one". (http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=430882007)

They have spun the priorities set out in the plan for the first 100 days as a deliberate attempt at creating tensions with the British state rather than focus on the merits of the proposals set out in the document. Instead the press have made out that they are nothing more than some form of nationalist trickery.

Incidentally these proposals would see an SNP led Scottish Executive demand control of Scotland's share of North Sea oil; would stand firm against the placing of a new generation of nuclear weapons in Scottish territory; stand against new generations of nuclear power stations; the transfer of powers over gun control to Scotland; taking a greater role in dealing with the EU; and the creation of a distinct Scottish Olympics team. That is just to mention a few of the policies set out by the SNP for the early days of government.

Brian Taylor bizarrely described this as a form of "Trotskyite impossibilism" on his new blog at the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/election07/). It seems Brian also thinks this is nothing more than a ploy to "make demands that the state can't possibly concede - then demand the overthrow of the state when it refuses".

What Brian Taylor and the massed ranks of the Scottish press corps seem to not realise is that the plans laid out in the document and spelt out above are actually what a real government of a real nation would do. They demand the best possible conditions for the people of their country.

In fairness to them we have never had this in the past in Scotland, instead having only politicians prepared to administer Scotland on the say so of their London "betters" and masters, so it is perhaps a little difficult for our media people to understand what a real Scottish government would look like. Hopefully after 3rd May they will get some experience of that under the SNP.

The Campaign Goes On

It has been a busy few days since my last post here. On Saturday I started the morning by meeting up with one of the local council candidates and the SNP team to continue our survey work in the Blackwood area of Cumbernauld. An hour or so later after having chapped several hundred doors between us all, my wife Julie and I took our scuffed knuckles onto the train to Glasgow heading for the Science Centre where the SNP was having its campaign conference.

We arrived in time to squeeze in the back of a very packed auditorium to hear Nicola Sturgeon give an excellent speech that set out much of the party's plans and priorities for if and when we form the next administration. It was particularly heartening to listen to her underline the fact that the independence referendum is a line in the sand issue for us in any potential coalition deal should such be necessary.

Then after having joined my family for my uncle's 60th birthday bash in Troon on Saturday night it was back to the Science Centre on Sunday. After catching up with a number of old friends who are dotted across the country it was back into the packed auditorium (although this time I thankfully managed to grab a seat) to listen to Alex Salmond's keynote speech.

This was a performance par excellence from my party leader. From the moment he started with the words, "I'm Alex Salmond, and I'm running for First Minister", to the very last word it was an assured, measured, commanding and statesman like address. It is clear why he remains by far the most popular candidate to become First Minister of Scotland this May.

All in all, the conference left me, and seemingly all those who were there, in very buoyant mood indeed. This was just the inspiration needed to start off my Monday where I and a large number of SNP activists were waiting to meet Ian Hudghton MEP, the SNP President, at Croy Train Station, to set off and undertake more survey work in the Blackwood and Smithstone areas, delivering hundreds of them to local people to find out their views on the matters of the day. Ian then went off to pay a visit to Eastfield Primary School whilst the rest of us carried on a bit more survey work then resting up in preparation of tonight's Annual General Meeting of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth SNP.

Tonight's meeting saw everyone in great heart and a growing realisation that as every day passes the SNP campaign gathers momentum and more and more people are being convinced by our arguments.

The Republic of Kelso High

So I was wondering what to write about tonight and my wife Julie had a look about the internet to see if I could draw inspiration from the news stories today. Then she discovered a wee article on the BBC website that I just had to draw attention to.

The kids at her old school, Kelso High, have voted overwhelmingly for independence from the UK. In a referendum the pupils at the school voted by 437 to 113 to establish the Republic of Kelso High (and established the Bawbee as their own currency).

Surely this is a sign, and the people of Scotland as a whole will follow their fine example of opting for independence soon enough.

See the BBC article at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6457851.stm

Trident Debacle Points the way to Independence

I'm sorry to be harping on about the nuclear weapons issue yet again (actually I am not that sorry really, it's my blog so I get to write about what I want to write about!) but yesterday's vote in the House of Commons was one of the clearest indications we have ever had as to why we need independence for Scotland.

There was in fact a clear majority in favour of the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system yesterday. The vote in the House of Commons was in fact 409 to 161 in favour. However a closer analysis of this vote tells us a number of things.

Firstly, Tony Blair had to rely on the Tory benches to ensure victory for his government's argument that Trident should be renewed. That has got to be an uncomfortable prospect for any administration when it was the opposition "wot won it" for you. If the massed ranks of Conservatism (by that I mean the official Conservatives in the House, the massed ranks of small "c" conservatism extend way beyond their benches) had not supported Blair then Trident renewal would be as dead as the proverbial Dodo.

Secondly, and this is the crucial aspect of analysis for a Scottish perspective - a majority of Scottish MPs of all persuasions voted against Trident renewal. This indicates that the democratic will of Scotland's representatives at Westminster was at odds with that of the majority. In essence, Scotland opposed Trident. To that end, the fifteen Scottish Labour rebels who sided with the SNP and Liberal Democrats are to be commended.

However this indicates the very essence of the problem with Scotland remaining an integral part of the British state. Even when our political will is exercised in one direction if the rest of the political class from the rest of the UK exercise it in another, then we are overruled. In effect this means that the Trident system will be renewed and we Jocks can like it or lump it (and with it being reported that fully three quarters of Scots oppose nuclear weapons it seems we will have to lump it).

There is a perfectly and eminently sensible solution at hand though. And that is for Scotland to establish itself as a fully sovereign and independent nation state so that when we disagree with the political opinion expressed in London, as happened yesterday, then we are empowered to disagree. Whilst our representation remains a mere 59 out of 646 members of the Westminster Parliament then the potential to have policy dictated to us will always remain and all talk of Scotland being an "equal partner" in the United Kingdom are demonstrated to be the fallacy that they are.

If we were independent then we could actually reject these abhorrent weapons of mass destruction.

That should be where I leave this posting, as it nicely rounds off my arguments, but I cannot help but mention that Rosemary McKenna, the MP covering Cumbernauld and Kilsyth voted for nuclear weapons yesterday. I can't help but wonder what people there will think of their MP supporting the use of some £76billion-£100billion of their money on this scheme instead of on schools, hospitals, pensions and so on. I also cannot help but wonder whether my Labour opponent and Rosemary's colleague Cathie Craigie agrees with this astonishing waste of money as well. Maybe she will read this and let us know.

Revolting Situation

The news is buzzing today with stories of the impending revolt on the Labour backbenches at Westminster over the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system. As I have reported on my blog previously this scheme threatens to cost the taxpayer somewhere in the region of £75billion-£100billion once the decommissioning of the existing system, the commissioning of a new system and maintenance costs are factored in.

That is a lot of money to be spending on a system that has no strategic potency in facing up to the challenges before us as a society in the twenty-first century. This is also not to mention it being a lot of money to spend on weapons of mass destruction that are morally reprehensible and kill indiscriminately. This money would be much better used elsewhere, on schools, hospitals and public transport for instance.

However, what is becoming clear is that the Labour Party - even including the Trident rebels - are attempting to persuade people that this issue shouldn't influence how they vote at the Scottish Parliament election. Indeed, Katy Clark (Labour MP for North Ayrshire and Arran) who is threatening to rebel, was playing this very game on Newsnight this evening. They make this case because the Scottish Parliament isn't charged with the responsibilities over defence and won't be making the decision on renewal (even though these weapons will be expected to be stored in Scotland once again if they are built).

That is of course factually correct. The Scottish Parliament doesn't have control over this important area. However that is actually the very reason why this issue should be front and centre in the Scottish Parliament campaign. The fact is that with some 75% of Scots opposed to the renewal of Trident we have a national legislature that is entirely impotent to react to this situation. It is in fact just another reason for independence. Little wonder New Labour are so keen to play down the issue!

Land of Milk and Honey (for Gordon Jackson that is!)

Gordon Jackson MSP must be quite an intelligent guy. He is one of the leading Queens Counsels in the country (his fat wallet at taxpayers expense through legal aid will testify to that) and I can't imagine you reach that position without knowing a thing or two about a thing or two.

However he was giving the impression of being a complete and utter idiot on television earlier today. On the Politics Show he was filmed speaking at a meeting of the Orange Order (along with other politicians as well) on the union. What astonished me though was that he said that even if ending the union and going for independence would make his fellow Scots better off he would still oppose it.

This is staggering from a man who has reportedly earned over £200,000 annually in legal aid bills in several years whilst simultaneously drawing his MSP salary of over £50,000 as well. I can imagine how easy it must be to blithely state that he doesn't care if independence might make people better off earning around a quarter of a million pounds a year. However, it might seem an altogether different prospect to the one in four people in Scotland who lives in poverty at present. Indeed, representing (I use the term loosely for this character) the constituency of Glasgow Govan which contains pockets of real deprivation you think he would consider that helping people improve their financial means might be a good idea.

Perhaps Gordon Jackson was playing to his audience. The Orange Order is of course well known for being predominantly a heartily unionist bunch. However, you would think he might engage his brain before talking, as seems not to have happened on this occasion. One can only hope he keeps this up between now and 3rd May!

Blog Making the News

A wee bit of publicity for my blog this week as the Cumbernauld News and Kilsyth Chronicle reported its existence. Hopefully this will let even more people in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth know about the site and they might pop by and pay it a visit.

This is actually the second time we have made the paper with the blog. There was recently an interview with Tony Blair published and it got a mention then, as the editor of the paper had intended asking him a question based on the piece I did about his 1983 election leaflet. Sadly the strictly managed interview was limited to ten minutes and they ran out of time before he could get to that one. A note to the editor - if my blog similarly inspires you in the future then make sure it is the first question you ask!

Anyway, it is good to know that the blog is being read and making some impression on folk.

I am finding it more difficult to get time to contribute to it, but will endeavour to keep updating as regularly as I can between now and the election.

60 days to go!

I should start off by saying that the title of this post is slightly misleading. There are actually less than 60 days left till polling now - 57 to be precise! I had intended on posting with 60 days to go, but seem to be finding time to work on my blog hard to come by at the moment, as the campaign intensifies even further.

It is quite astonishing to think that we are only just under two months away from the Scottish Parliament election. I was selected to contest the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency for the SNP around a year ago, yet the day where my selection was confirmed seems much more recent in my mind. However, we are now in the "home stretch" and the day itself will soon enough be upon us.

In some ways I am glad it is almost over, in others it doesn't seem like enough time! However, we enter this period in good heart, secure in the knowledge that more people are coming over to support independence and the SNP each and every day. The opinion polls have made for excellent reading. Never this close to an election have we been polling so strongly and on such a consistent basis. However that is not to become complacent. I shall continue to work hard between now and 3rd May to try and secure that all important SNP victory in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

The poverty that shames our country

Poverty has been a consistent problem in our country. However, what many people probably don't realise is that the level of poverty in Scotland today is some four times the level that existed in 1968. In the last forty years we have seen a quadrupling in poverty levels. And they call this progress?

The growth in poverty seems to have been spurred by the drive towards neo-liberalism in the 1980s. In 1979, when Margaret Thatcher's Tory government was first elected, child poverty stood at one in ten. By 1997 when the Conservative's left office to be replaced by the new Tories of New Labour the levels were one in three. It is true that child poverty has come down under Labour, but only to one in four. After a decade in power, New Labour has barely shifted the levels of child poverty from 33% to 25%.

However far from being shame faced about presiding over such levels of child poverty, Jack McConnell was actually on Radio Scotland crawing about this "achievement". He then went on to utter some mundanities about how his "founding principle" was to deal with the inequalities that exist in society. Given the one in four kids in poverty in Scotland today - not to mention the one in five pensioners in poverty as well - it seems pretty clear that Jack is able to put his founding principles on the backburner.

He then went on to utter some nonsense about how with Labour you get a party that is committed to combatting inequality whilst with the SNP you get a party that is committed to constitutional change ahead of this aim. Well I have news for Mr McConnell. Independence and fighting poverty are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, I would say that it is the fight against inequality that drives me most in politics. Scottish independence is not about changing flags. Nor is it an end in itself. Certainly I will be delighted the day we celebrate independence, but for me it is because that it empowers us to tackle the inequalities that exist in our country that motivate me to seek to end the union.

Consider this - Scotland is the only country in the world to have discovered oil and seen poverty actually increase amongst its people, other than Iraq (which had very unique circumstances, such as a decade of sanctions imposed against them). Do we actually think that would have been the case with independence?

Only with independence will we ever be able to start making real inroads into the poverty that blights Scotland and end the ludicrous nature of a resource rich country with such obscene levels of poverty in our midst.