Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

Labour leader - Ed Miliband - came off the fence earlier in the week - and urged the trade union's to call off their strikes over public sector pensions. But there's been little sign of him today on the airwaves. Which is a bit suprising - because the changes being proposed are based on a report by Lord Hutton - one of Ed Miliband's cabinet minster colleagues in the last Labour  government. Maybe the Labour leader will have something to say later in the day - or maybe he's appearing at one of the trade union marches - which are taking place around the country. In any event it would be good to hear what he has to say about one - or indeed any - of the key issues involved in the dispute. For example, does Ed Miliband support the retention of 'final salary' pension schemes?  John Hutton knows where he stands on that point - on the side of fairness and common sense. So the Labour leader should have no difficulty in making it clear - where he stands as

No sooner have I finished praising Jack Straw - than along comes the Private Eye and bursts my bubble. Here's a recent entry about the veteran Labour MP - taken from the latest edition of the satirical magazine. "In the same week as Milburn's outburst, his former cabinet colleague Jack Staw wrote a Times feature callingon the European Union to 'embrace Turkey ....... it is myopic in the extreme for its leaders to appear to be turning away from the strongest, richest and most powerful democratic state in the Middle East. Straw omitted to mention that two months ago he and his wife enjoyed a four-day trip to Istanbul and Akara paid for by the Turkish government (total cost £2,910) and that while he was there the Turks also gave him £2,000 for a speech on foreign policy." How utterly depressing. Yet another Labour MP and former cabinet minister - hawking himself around the world - w hile moonlighting from his day job. No wonder people sometimes get cynic

Aberdeen City Council has a new leader - 26 year old Callum McCaig - who has become the youngest council leader in Scotland. No I don't know anything about Councillor McCaig - except that he entered local politics only four years ago - at the even more tender age of 22. So he's some a long way - in a very short space of time. And in an area of public life that is normally dominated by people who are - how can I put this delicately - much longer in the tooth than Councillor Callum McCaig. But it just goes to prove the old footballing adage - 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'. So I would just like to wish Councillor Mc Caig well - because local politics can be a rough old business - and he'll need all the luck he can get.

The newspapers reported yesterday that the BBC's former deputy director general - Mark Byford - received a redundancy payment worth almost £950,000. A leaked copy of the BBC's annual accounts - which will be published next month - apparently show that the Corporation more than £1.3 million - to make two senior executives redundant. Now I'll eat my hat if the people involved are not back in gainful, well-paid employment very soon - if that hasn't happened already. So why do such senior people - get paid such ridiculous sums of money to leave their jobs? The reason is that the system is bonkers - completely skewed in favour of the most senior staff - right across the public sector not just at the BBC. The practice of basing these payments on people's final salaries - means that it's like winning the lottery to be made redundant or retired early. The foot soldiers at the bottom of the pile can only dream of such generosity - and of course it's a ver

Jack Straw's campaign to stop frivolous car accidents claims - see post dated 28 June 2011 - seems to have scored an early success. Because AXA - one of the UK's leading motor insurers - broke ranks the other day. With an announcement that it would end the practice of introducing customers to personal injury lawyers - in return for a referral fee. The move will put pressure on AXA's rivals - Royal Sun Alliance, Aviva, Direct Line and Churchill - to follow suit. A spokesperson for AXA said: "The industry needs to be tidied up, but it will not tidy itself up. This has to be stopped; this dysfunctional market cannot be allowed to continue." So there you are - one up for Jack Straw. One time leader of the National Union of Students (NUS) - but a venerable Labour war-horse these days. How refreshing to see an MP setting party politicking aside - and focusing on something or real concern to local consitutuents.

Tomorrow lots of public service workers in England and Wales will be going on strike - in a dispute over pensions. Now this row affects different groups of workers in different ways. At the moment some groups are better off than others - because some groups have much better pension arrangements that others. So don't be fooled into thinking that this is an egalitarian fight for equal rights - or a battle to help the low paid - nothing could be further from the truth. For some of the unions involved it is about 'to have and hold' - the much more favourable conditions enjoyed by the members that they represent. So I thought I'd ask myself a few questions - about some of the key issues at stake in the dispute. Do I support the retention of 'final salary' pension schemes? No I don't - because they favour the better paid. Do I support teachers and civil servants being allowed to retire at 60? No I don't - because they are already much better

Dr Jacob Bronowski - the acclaimed author and presenter of the iconic BBC series 'Ascent of Man' - is one of my heroes. As we as being a very learned person - able to talk with authority on just about any subject under the sun - Dr Bronowski was a down to earth kind of chap. No airs and graces - not puffed up and full of his own importance - physically he resembled a little hobbit, small in stature, but with a lively, indomitable and generous spirit. And Dr Bronowski had some advice for viewers who watched his TV programme - which has stayed with me to this day. 'Ask an impertinent question', he would say - with visible passion and conviction. Before going on to explain that the sum of human knowledge - has only grown down the ages. Because of people challenging and questioning a preceived wisdom - or orthodoxy - of the day. It's a bit like the the old adage - 'there are no stupid questions'. So here goes: 'Why should teachers and civil

Hearts Football Club have finally bowed to the inevitable by suspending one of their players - Craig Thomson - who was recently placed on the sex offenders register. Now this is a very sad for the young man involved - because it could mean the end of his footballing career. But it comes nowhere near the trauma suffered by two underage teenage girls - whom he was convicted of trying to lure and groom for sex - via the internet. Seems tio me that young man with that kind of history has no place as a role model for teenage boys and girls - and harsh though it is - he has brought the whole thing on himself. The only surprise is that it took Hearts FC so long to take decisive action. But it's another example of people power in action - because the views of the fans have undoubtedly influenced the club and its commercial sponsors. While I'm on the subject I read recently that another young man - was given eight years in jail for carrying out a sex attack on a two year old

News reports today confirm that John Scott - chief executive of Glasgow's Commonwealth Games project has resigned - after failing to declare an 'offer' he received from a potential supplier. Now on the face of things John Scott appears to have acted honourably - which is almost unheard of these days, of course. In the blink of an eye, Mr Scott has admitted his error of judgement - and left his £180,000 a year post - with immediate effect. But why all the secrecy about the circumstances surrounding his resignation? What exactly was the offer - and who made the offer to Mr Scott? Because it might just be the case that the authorities should be taking action - a gainst the potential supplier as well. Apparently there are strict rules governing  gifts and gratuities - which is what you would expect - given the all too obvious conflicts of interest involved. So let's stop all this shilly shallying. The good citizens of Glasgow deserve to know - what's rea

In an effort to breathe new life into Labour - Ed Miliband - has directed one of his loyal lieutenants to come up with an honest assessment - about the state of the  party. Peter Hain has been charged with the task - and his views make uncomfortable reading for anyone interested in democracy - because he warns that 'many local parties are moribund'. In some areas of the country - Hain observes - the party 'barely functions'. Before adding that the number of affiliated union members has fallen significantly - while party structures have hardly changed since the First World War. Now this strikes me as straight talking - facing up to reality. The solution - according to Hain - is to open things up and find ways of making Labour more attractive and relevant to people's everyday lives. And what's true for the Labour party is even more true for the trade unions - which in many areas have become 'chum clubs'. The truth is that in many local trade

While writing the other day about the problems facing Greece - epitomised by its super-modern yet apparently cost-free underground system - I was struck by a weird thought. Because the fair city of Edinburgh - Scotland's vibrant, lively, but tram-free capital - was once known as the 'Athens of the North'. So maybe our respective countries have something to learn from each other - about transport scandals. In Scotland's case £500 million down the drain - without even a single tram to show for all that public money. While in Athens goodness knows how many 'gazillions' have been lost - on an underground transport network that relies on an honesty box - to recover its massive operating costs. If there is a public inquiry set up to get to the bottom of these two madcap transport schemes - I offer my time and services free of charge. But I also propose that councillors and council officials are barred from participating - except as potential witnesses, of

Car insurance has been hitting the headlines - with Labour's former Justice Secretary - Jack Straw - demanding firm government action over fri volous claims. Apparently while the number of road accidents has dropped significantly since the mid 1990's - the cost of car insurance premiums keep going up and up. For example, in 2009 the number of road accidents - involving personal injury - was 31% down on the five year average between 1994-98. Yet the cost of claims has doubled in 10 years - from £7bn to £14bn - and a s a result insurance premiums have shot up - by 30% in the past year alone. So Jack Straw has a good point - which he is raising as an individual MP. Quite why the problem didn't appear on the Labour government's radar - over a 13 year period - is another question altogether. But to give credit where credit's due - Jack Straw's actually raising a significant issue from the backbenches. And he has also highlighted a real scandal - whereby

Question: What's a Greek urn? Answer: About 10 drachmas an hour! Now if I remember correctly - that's an old Morecambe and Wise joke. Which doesn't work any any longer, of course, because Greece is a member of the Eurozone - even if it is only holding on by the skin of its teeth.  News of the crisis in Greece is dominated by television - and images of angry demonstrators squaring up to the police. But there's a real dearth of analysis to explain what's really going on - and why the country finds itself in such a mess. If you believe the demonstrators, it's all down to greedy banks and foreign governments - who are finally forcing the Greeks to live within their means, but exploiting them in the process. If you believe the tabloid press, it's the Greek economy is fundamentally corrupt - with a bloated public sector and where few people pay their taxes. One example I came across describes a 21st century underground system in Athens - built spec

Yesterday's Sunday Times enjoyed a bit of fun at the expense of UK union leaders - who are presently calling for strikes over public sector pensions. The newspaper highlighted the fact that the key players are all very highly paid - and benefit themselves from the 'final salary' schemes they are fighting to defend. The suggestion is that the country's union bosses are living lives that are quite out of reach - to the ordinary union members they represent. Judges for yourselves - here are the key figures published by the Sunday Times: Dave Prentis - Unison Total pay including benefits - £142,312 Union pension contribution - 26% of gross salary Property - six bedroom home in London worth up to £1.3 million Bob Crow - RMT Total pay including benefits - £145,548 Union pension contribution - 31% Property - rents three bedroom housing association home in London Mark Serwotka - PCS Total pay including benefits - £142,876 Union pension contribution - 30% Pr

Last Thursday I wrote a piece for the blog site about First Minister Questions (FMQs) - which caused quite a stir. Because Alex Salmond's announced on his feet - and right out of the blue - that he would give more time to the government's proposals for tackling sectarian behaviour in Scotland. See post dated 23 June 2011: 'Common Sense Prevails'. While catching up with the papers over the weekend I came across this article by Alan Cochrane - who writes for the Telegraph newspaper. Alan is a senior member of Holyrood's press pack - who speaks his mind and calls it as he sees it - and his description of FMQs as a 'masterful piece of politicking' is spot on. However, for those that are interested - you might like to know that Alan's article appeared in the newspaper the following day - Friday 24 June 2011. 'Alex Salmond's new-found listening skill was a masterful piece of politicking' "Alex Salmond's postponement of the Of

I'm not into all this Friends Reunited malarkey - but maybe I'll have to reconsider my views. Because at the weekend I met up with an old school pal - whom I haven't laid eyes on for the best part of 40 years. And what a pleasure it was too. He brought along a photo from our football playing days - and we tried to remember the names and eccentricities of our old team-mates - quite successfully, by and large. What a nice guy he's turned out to be - calm, relaxed and with a good sense of humour. Quite the opposite of his persona on the football field - where no quarter was asked and none given. Our brief reunion was a complete accident - via a previously unknown mutual friend - not through the much more popular route of the internet. But I think it's highly likely we'll meet up again - and it just goes to show what you miss out on - when you lose touch with people. Who knows, maybe I'll try and track down a few others - if I can free up some ti

Regular readers should get hold of the Sunday Herald today - because it lifts the lid on the scandlous waste of public money - commonly known as the Edinburgh trams fiasco. Not only has £500 million of public money been wasted - it turns out that the a project was really just one  big 'gravy train' - for highly paid officials and consultants. Apparently some consultants received fees of more than £1,000 a day - for their experience and expertise. So the 'arms-length company established by Edinburgh City Council to run the project (TIE) -has spent at least £24m on consultants - in total - to advise on aspects of the scheme. Now that must leave a bad taste in the mouths of council workers in Edinburgh - and elsewhere - who are still fighting for equal pay. Roll on the public inquiry into this mess. Because as usual no one is prepared to accept responsibility for what has happened - the officials and councillors involved are all still in their jobs. And you can b

The Sunday papers report that the government is planning to 'get tough' with the unions - if a series of planned strikes turns into a real summer of discontent. Apparently the government is planning to restrict the use of taxpayers money - to fund local union officials who work full-time on union business - but who remain employed by a local council, health board or government department.  Now this would hit local branch secretaries and suchlike - many of whom have full-time release from their day jobs - to concentrate on union business. But 'union business' is defined very broadly in some areas - and might include, for example,  attending a national union conference - or meetings which have nothing directly to do with the employer providing full-time release So the government is looking to exploit the fact that much of this 'wider' union work - is really subsidised by the taxpayer - when there is an argument that the trade union should meet the cost.

Labour leader - Ed Miliband - is trying to flex his muscles by picking a fight with his own party - over elections to Labour's shadow cabinet. The significance of this move will pass most people by - or alternatively bore them to death. But it revolves around Labour's rules which presently require members of the shadow cabinet to be elected by Labour MPs - instead of being appointed by the party leader. So the Labour leader does not have a free hand to appoint the people he wants - he has to play the hand dealt with him by the electorate - in this case the wider group of Westminster Labour MPs.  As far as fights go - an arcane dispute about Labour party democracy - is not going to  set the blood racing or catch the public's imagination.  Unlike Tony Blair's move - when he became Labour leader in 1994 - to re-write and replace Clause 4 of Labour's constitution - as a symbol of how much the party had changed. Ed will almost certainly get his way - but to m

I listened to the statement made by the father of Millie Dowler yesterday - after the evil scumbag who murdered his daughter - Levi Bellfield - was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail. Bob Dowler - and his wife Sallly - felt that they and their daughter had been treated unfairly by the court process - and said so plainly. Because the court allowed Levi Bellfield - through his lawyer - to subject Millie's parents to intrusive, irrelevant and unecessary questioning - about their private lives. Now the justice system is clearly run by intelligent, thoughtful people - but they seem to me to lack a degree of common sense. Presumably the court allowed such questioning - in order to be seen to give the accused a fair trial - and for justice to be seen to be done. And presumably Bellfield's lawyer pursued this intrusive, ridiculous line of questioning - on the instructions of his client - who turned out to be a murdering, merciless sociopath. But I don't buy

I wrote the other week about the importance of 'doing the right thing' - at the time I couldn't recall why these words suddenly jumped into my head. Then I remembered - the words came from a diary I kept - many years ago when I worked with Unison . Gradually the daily entries took on a life of their own - and like Topsy they just growed and growed. Anyway, I gave my diary a title - 'Part of the Union' - which became a detailed record of a very turbulent yet significant time in my life. And here's the relevant passage: "I smiled a wry smile at how things had turned out. I marvelled at my absolute, crazy determination not to give in, despite the personal cost. I marvelled at the brass neck of friends who disappeared like snow off a dyke.  I marvelled at the courage of others who took their place as if I had known them a lifetime. I marvelled at the words, sayings and songs, which had inspired me, made me laugh, or comforted me in times of crisis.

I had a useful meeting with another South Lanarkshire MSP recently - Michael McMahon, the Labour member for Uddingston and Bellshill. We discussed the situation in South Lanarkshire council - regarding Single Status and Equal Pay. Like all MSPs Michael is keen to hear from his constituents on any matters of concern - and his contact details are as follows: E-mail: Michael.McMahon.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Phone: 01698 304501 Constituency Office: 188 Main Street, Bellshill, ML4 1AE A regualr reader has also been in touch to say that she met recently with her own local MSP - James Kelly, the Labour member for Rutherglen - whose contact details are also listed below. E-mail: James.Kelly.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Phone: 0141 647 0707 Consituency Office: 51 Stonelaw Road, Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, G73 3TN Just remember when it comes to MSPs - and politicians more generally - the proof of the pudding lies in what they actually do to support their constituent

The Edinburgh Evening News is running a big campaign - unsurprisingly - over the scandal involving the  city's trams, or the lack of trams - to be more precise. The newspaper is calling for control of the project to be taken out of Edinburgh City Council's hands - and  handed over to the Scottish government, presumably. Now the obvious question is: 'Why would the government accept such a poisoned chalice?' But in the circumstances I think that is probably the right call. Because sadly local government has shown that it is simply not up to the task. Regular readers will recall that the trams project only came about - because of political interference in the Scottish Parliament. Where Labour and Lid Dem MSPs ganged up to force a minority SNP government to stump up £500 million - of taxpayers money to fund the doomed scheme. Edinburgh City Council also chose to hand the project over to an arms length company or ALEO - a practice which has attracted great cont

I had a good discussion with Aileen Campbell recently - the new MSP for Clydesdale - which forms part of the South Lanarkshire Council area. I outlined to Aileen the current position over Equal Pay and Single Status - which affects many local constituents. If you live in the Clydesdale constituency and wish to contact Aileen - as your local MSP - you can do so in any one of the following ways: E-mail: Aileen.Campbell.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Phone: 01555 750 249 Constituency Office: Room 9, Kirkton Chambers, 12 Kirkton Street, Carluke, ML8 4AB

Regular readers will recall that I wrote to COSLA a little while back - on the subject of spending public money - see post dated 18 June 2011. The chief executive - Rory Mair - responded by saying, in essence, that as COSLA is not covered by Scotland's FOI scheme - he would not be providing the information requested. Now I don't find that very satisfactory or convincing - so here's what I said in my reply. Dear Rory Public Money, Openness and Transparency Many thanks for your e-mail dated 8 June 2011. Can I say, first of all, how pleased I am that you read my blog site - I know that other COSLA staff do so as well, some on a regular basis. You asked me, in your e-mail, how COSLA can show leadership on this issue - and I am happy to answer your question directly. To my mind, COSLA should be adopting the same standards as its 32 member councils - from whom the Convention receives almost all of its public funding via the taxpayer. Since Scotland's 32 counci

I was in boots the Chemist the other day - and read an incredible statistic. Apparently 'unused medicines' cost the NHS in Scotland - £100 million every year - which is a truly staggering waste of public money. So why don't we get a public campaign going - for people to be much more careful over their medicines and prescriptions. Because this would save a small fortune - which could be put to a much better use. If enough people get involved - the money that's saved could go towards extending the Edinburgh trams another 100 metres or so. Say from St Andrew Square down to Picardy Place. And that would be a 'win win' solution all round. Since the the NHS would stamp out waste - and save money. While the long-suffering citizens of Leith would finally get something to show - for all the years of disruption caused by the Edinburgh trams.

Alex Salmond took a leaf out of David Cameron's book today - though the SNP leader might disavow any comparisons with the Conservative leader of the Westminster government. In any event what the First Minister did today - at First Minister's Question Time - was to show  strong leadership and a willingess to listen - combined with a healthy appetite to seek common sense solutions to intractable problems. Because Alex Salmond asked the Scottish Parliament to agree the principles of his government bill on combatting 'sectarian behaviour' - but then to delay the timetable for six months - to allow further consultation before the bill finally becomes law. In doing so the First Minister - put party politics aside and managed to unite the Scottish Parliament - while speaking for the whole country. No mean feat - you have to admit. Now those who have concerns about aspects of the bill - will have the opportunity to get the details right. Because no one is really dis

I remembered writing something about the firefighters dispute - in 2002/03 - as I posted James Undy's article from the Independent earlier today. And would you believe I managed to find the piece. So here's what I had to say - all those years ago - about Fantasy Football and Industrial Relations.   Firefighters Dispute "As fire fighters prepare to strike for the first time since 1977, people will gradually begin to focus on the justice of their claim, and how it’s being pursued. A whopping 40% rise in a single year, with no strings attached, is the industrial relations equivalent of fantasy football. Yet both sides are hurtling towards a strike that will not only cause enormous damage, but is bound to cost many lives. Fire brigades are an emergency service, a life and limb service of last resort, but they are not alone in the public sector: doctors and nurses are the best known example; ambulance staff, paramedics and many others besides literally have people’s l

James Undy - writing in the The Independent - continues to share his insightful views on how the unions are prosecuting their public sector pensions dispute. Seems like he's not too impressed - so far.   So what would you do, muppet? "An ex-union colleague texts me with a pithy request for strategic advice (well, that’s how I interpret it …) on the public sector pension dispute. My answer – that I wouldn’t have been starting from here – is hardly original. But it’s not entirely flippant either. In his autobiography Prezza! John Prescott recalls the Fire Brigades Union dispute of 2002/3: FBU leaders “were coming out of the front door … effing and blinding to the press and their supporters, denouncing me – but they were also coming in the back door, where we got down quietly to working out a settlement without the public and press being aware”. In the end, a 40% pay claim was settled with a 14% increase phased over three years. The former Deputy Prime Minister reta

Edinburgh City Council meets today to consider a controversial report - on the mind boggling cost of running a few trams through 'Auld Reekie'. Ironically, the project was imposed on Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliament - or to be more precise by  Labour and Liberal Democrat votes in the Scottish Parliament. The costs have since escalated out of control - the original budget of £500 million has been swallowed up after years of disruption to Scotland's capital city - with still no end in sight. Apparently today's council meeting will be told that it will take another £270 million - of public money - to partially complete the project - and no less than £250 million to scrap it altogether. So either way the taxpayer loses out - and the politicians involved are now doing what they do best - blaming each other while looking for scapegoats. Meanwhile Edinburgh is a public laughing stock - and the country has another 'white elephant' on its hands. Whatever

I've received lots of enquiries about the recent Court of Session hearing in Edinburgh - involving the equal pay claims of former APT&C workers. What everyone wants to know is: 'What happened - what was the outcome?' Well as often happens in these big, complex cases - there was no outcome at the conclusion of the hearing. The judges involved in the case will take some time to consider all the evidence - before issuing their detailed written decision - but it may take several weeks before this happens. When it does - the news will be reported on the blog site. F ormer APT&C Workers A number of readers have been in touch about the hearing at the Court of Session - regarding the equal pay claims of former APT&C council workers. The case involves Edinburgh City Council directly - but the outcome is likely to impact on lots of other cases and councils as well. Edinburgh City Council lost the argument comprehensively at previous Employment Tribunal and

No sooner do I I finish writing about Labour's careful positioning - and fondness for opportunist politics - than I read something which proves my point. Apparently Labour announced last night - that the party  will oppose  the government's plans to reform the House of Lords. Now how depressing is that - because Labour was in power for 13 long years with  huge parliamentary majorities at its back - unlike the present government. Labour could have done exactly what the party wanted - with their noble lordships. But Labour leaders failed to act - and the best they can come up all these years later - is to oppose the present government's plans. Me, I'd abolish the second chamber - sack every one of our 800 plus peers - and save the country a small fortune.

The Labour party needs to reinvent itself - according to Peter Mandelson - if it is to mount a serious challenge to David Cameron at the next general election. I agree with Peter Mandelson on that point. Because Labour's former Prince of Darkness is a realist about politics - and realised in the 1980s how much Labour needed to change - before the party could become electable again. So New Labour was born - the brainchild of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson - Labour's answer to The Three Musketeers. And to be fair it worked - delivering three straight general election victories in a row. For a long time New Labour was an unstoppable force - sweeping all opposition out of the way - and made mincemeat of four Conservative leaders - John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard. Before the Tories finally found themselves a winner - in David Cameron. Lord Mandelson has warned the party that it needs to 'modernise at all levels' and

Here's an article by James Undy writing in The Independent - about trade union strike plans over public sector pensions. I don't know anything about James Undy - but he clearly has some experience of trade unions at a senior level - and makes some telling points. As for Mark Serwotka - there's no point in asking plaintive, rhetorical questions of the viewing public - i.e. 'What else can we do?'. Union leaders always have choices - and that's why they receive a very hefty salary - for making the right choices that protect the interests of ordinary union members.  Pensions - ramping up the rhetoric "I was joking when I blogged that ultra-left union activists were agitating for a general strike “because the last one went so well”. Then up popped UNISON’s General Secretary Dave Prentis talking in all apparent seriousness about the biggest action since 1926. Citing another noble defeat, he even went on to assert that “this won’t be the miners’ stri

What a dull and dreary speech Dave Prentis delivered yesterday - to Unison's annual delegate conference in Manchester. Now the speech received plenty of coverage for sure - because the rhetoric is being ramped up - with all this talk of 'the mother of all strikes. But we learned nothing new about the union's key objectives - or what it most wants to change in terms of the government's plans for pension reform. Will Unison die in a ditch - for example - to retain 'final salary' pension schemes? Because if so - it does nothing for the majority of ordinary, low paid union members. If a final salary scheme is the key issue - then it's the better paid members who should be charging the barbed wire - and following their union generals into battle. Is it the increase in pension contributions that that's the sticking point? Who knows, but my brother's over here from Canada at the moment - he's a transport worker and nearly 10% of his earnin

I am out on my travels for most of Tuesday 21 June 2011 - and have started the day very early - well early for me anyway! So today's posts are being made at the crack of dawn - so to speak - which means they appear on the blog site - as if written on Monday rather than Tuesday. I won't bore you with the details - but I hope regular readers won't notice any difference. Normal service will resume tomorrow - Wednesday.

As I watched the BBC's Question Time programme last week - I was struck by a weird thought. How strange was it to see Alex Salmond sitting on the panel as First Minister - for the second time and with a majority SNP government at his back - alongside (Lord) Michael Forsyth and Labour's Margaret Curran. Now for readers who don't know - Michael Forsyth was the Secretary of State for Scotland when Margaret Thatcher's Tory government ruled the country - like an arrogant colonial power. An able chap in some ways - but Michael was truly detested throughout the land. Yet years later Lord Forsyth just looks like some kind of beached whale - stranded by the ebb and flow of Scotland's political tides. Likewise with Labour's Margaret Curran - a decent person, for sure. But a politician who put Westminster before the Scottish Parliament - which just about sums up Labour priorites - and its lack of trust with the Scottish people. So there was Alex Salmond - in