Scottish Labour (21/12/14)
Support for the SNP has surged to record levels according to a new YouGov poll.
Apparently some 47% of voters in Scotland now back the SNP, against 27% who support Labour, 16% who back the Conservatives and only 3% sticking with the Lib Dems.
So the SNP’s support is up 27% on its 2010 figure and if the mood of Scottish voters holds time until May 2015, there will be fewer Labour MPs heading back down to Westminster which would be a good thing if you ask me.
Because no single party is going to win a majority of MPs at the 2015 election - the largest party will either be the Conservatives or Labour who will have to form a minority government or, more likely, enter into some kind of Coalition Government similar to the Conservative/Lib Dem alliance that has been running the country since 2010.
Now I'm not an SNP member and don't even class myself as an SNP supporter, but in the messy negotiations that will follow another 'hung' Westminster Parliament I suspect that the SNP will be much better at standing up for Scotland's interests than Labour whose Scottish contingent of MPs are a pretty dire bunch who have been largely invisible over issues like equal pay.
Take North and South Lanarkshire, for example, where the fight for equal pay has raged fiercely during the lifetime of the present Westminster Parliament - what have the local MPs or the Scottish Labour leadership had to say about equal pay?
Not a 'cheep', as they say and if you ask me that's why Scottish Labour deserves a bloody nose from the voters because the party in Scotland has lost the ability to stand up and be counted and its MPs at Westminster are really just cannon fodder who have little, if anything, to show for their collective efforts.
I was pleased to read this report from the BBC that the SNP are prepared to changed the party's rules to allow non-members to stand in the May 2015 general election.
Because if you ask me, the best way to secure lasting political change in Scotland is a 'Popular Front' committed to cutting the Westminster Parliament down to size.
In turn that means taking the Labour Party down a peg or two, something that has already happened in the Scottish Parliament and in Scottish council elections where Labour is no longer the largest party.
So Westminster remains the last redoubt where the old Conservative v Labour politics holds sway and I think that Scotland's interests after the next general election would be better served by a Popular Front of 'independent minded' MPs.
As opposed to the present Labour contingent who have shown over equal pay, for example, to have all the backbone of a jellyfish when it comes to standing up for the interests of their local constituents.
Consider for a moment the behaviour of Labour MPs in North Lanarkshire where a fierce fight over equal pay has been raging for the past 10 years. What have any of them had to say to support the position of low paid workers such as Home Carers?
In neighbouring South Lanarkshire Council the same thing happened even while the Labour-run Council was dragged all the way to the UK Supreme Court before being forced to publish details of the huge pay gap between traditional male and female jobs.
And what did all the Labour MPs in South Lanarkshire Council have to say about the scandal?
Nothing.
One of their number, Michael McCann MP, happens to be the former deputy leader of South Lanarkshire Council and he must have known what was going on, yet decided not to stand up and be counted.
So I think it would be great if these Labour MPs were driven out of Westminster and replaced by people who are committed to doing the right thing without fear or favour - and without pulling their punches.
A regular reader from North Lanarkshire has been in touch with an 'off the wall' suggestion - why doesn't an Equal Pay candidate stand against one of the sitting North Lanarkshire Labour MPs in the May 2015 general election?
Now this might not be as crazy as you first think because, as I wrote on the blog site recently, the SNP have agreed to support 'independent minded' candidates (who are not SNP members) in an effort to cut the Labour Party at Westminster down to size.
Which sounds a great idea because Labour has an awful lot to answer for over equal pay and the best way to get the Party to take a long hard look at itself if you ask me, would be to sweep away all the political deadwood at Westminster.
And a good place to start would be with the four North Lanarkshire Labour MPs who have stood on the sidelines while the fight for equal pay with Labour-run North Lanarkshire Council has been raging for the past 10 years.
Now my contacts with the SNP are not great, but I imagine there must be readers in North Lanarkshire who are able to speak to their local SNP councillor or MSP and discuss the idea in more detail.
Because wouldn't it be just great of one of the Equal Pay claimants, a Home Carer perhaps, were to stand in the forthcoming election and give the Labour MPs a real showing up for their cowardly political behaviour?
Apparently some 47% of voters in Scotland now back the SNP, against 27% who support Labour, 16% who back the Conservatives and only 3% sticking with the Lib Dems.
So the SNP’s support is up 27% on its 2010 figure and if the mood of Scottish voters holds time until May 2015, there will be fewer Labour MPs heading back down to Westminster which would be a good thing if you ask me.
Because no single party is going to win a majority of MPs at the 2015 election - the largest party will either be the Conservatives or Labour who will have to form a minority government or, more likely, enter into some kind of Coalition Government similar to the Conservative/Lib Dem alliance that has been running the country since 2010.
Now I'm not an SNP member and don't even class myself as an SNP supporter, but in the messy negotiations that will follow another 'hung' Westminster Parliament I suspect that the SNP will be much better at standing up for Scotland's interests than Labour whose Scottish contingent of MPs are a pretty dire bunch who have been largely invisible over issues like equal pay.
Take North and South Lanarkshire, for example, where the fight for equal pay has raged fiercely during the lifetime of the present Westminster Parliament - what have the local MPs or the Scottish Labour leadership had to say about equal pay?
Not a 'cheep', as they say and if you ask me that's why Scottish Labour deserves a bloody nose from the voters because the party in Scotland has lost the ability to stand up and be counted and its MPs at Westminster are really just cannon fodder who have little, if anything, to show for their collective efforts.
Clear the Deadwood (19 November 2014)
Because if you ask me, the best way to secure lasting political change in Scotland is a 'Popular Front' committed to cutting the Westminster Parliament down to size.
In turn that means taking the Labour Party down a peg or two, something that has already happened in the Scottish Parliament and in Scottish council elections where Labour is no longer the largest party.
So Westminster remains the last redoubt where the old Conservative v Labour politics holds sway and I think that Scotland's interests after the next general election would be better served by a Popular Front of 'independent minded' MPs.
As opposed to the present Labour contingent who have shown over equal pay, for example, to have all the backbone of a jellyfish when it comes to standing up for the interests of their local constituents.
Consider for a moment the behaviour of Labour MPs in North Lanarkshire where a fierce fight over equal pay has been raging for the past 10 years. What have any of them had to say to support the position of low paid workers such as Home Carers?
In neighbouring South Lanarkshire Council the same thing happened even while the Labour-run Council was dragged all the way to the UK Supreme Court before being forced to publish details of the huge pay gap between traditional male and female jobs.
And what did all the Labour MPs in South Lanarkshire Council have to say about the scandal?
Nothing.
One of their number, Michael McCann MP, happens to be the former deputy leader of South Lanarkshire Council and he must have known what was going on, yet decided not to stand up and be counted.
So I think it would be great if these Labour MPs were driven out of Westminster and replaced by people who are committed to doing the right thing without fear or favour - and without pulling their punches.
SNP to allow non-members to stand
The "Yes" campaign attracted activists from a wide range of organisations
SNP leaders plan to change party rules to allow non-members to stand as candidates in the general election.
The move is designed to appeal to activists who campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the independence referendum.
The plan will be unveiled at the party's conference, which will open in Perth later.
Under the plan, prominent "Yes" campaigners who are not in the SNP would be able to stand for election under the party's overall banner.
In order to do so, they would need to be on an approved list and be adopted by a local constituency.
Party sources have told BBC Scotland that this would harness "the strength and diversity" of the wider "Yes" campaign.
The plan is expected to be adopted by delegates in Perth as Alex Salmond hands over the leadership of the party to his deputy Nicola Sturgeon.
In his keynote speech, Mr Salmond will forecast that Scotland remains on course for independence, despite defeat in the referendum on 18 September,
And he will say of his opponents: "They thought it was all over... well, it isn't now".
SNP leaders plan to change party rules to allow non-members to stand as candidates in the general election.
The move is designed to appeal to activists who campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the independence referendum.
The plan will be unveiled at the party's conference, which will open in Perth later.
Under the plan, prominent "Yes" campaigners who are not in the SNP would be able to stand for election under the party's overall banner.
In order to do so, they would need to be on an approved list and be adopted by a local constituency.
Party sources have told BBC Scotland that this would harness "the strength and diversity" of the wider "Yes" campaign.
The plan is expected to be adopted by delegates in Perth as Alex Salmond hands over the leadership of the party to his deputy Nicola Sturgeon.
In his keynote speech, Mr Salmond will forecast that Scotland remains on course for independence, despite defeat in the referendum on 18 September,
And he will say of his opponents: "They thought it was all over... well, it isn't now".
Equal Pay Candidate (25 November 2014)
A regular reader from North Lanarkshire has been in touch with an 'off the wall' suggestion - why doesn't an Equal Pay candidate stand against one of the sitting North Lanarkshire Labour MPs in the May 2015 general election?
Now this might not be as crazy as you first think because, as I wrote on the blog site recently, the SNP have agreed to support 'independent minded' candidates (who are not SNP members) in an effort to cut the Labour Party at Westminster down to size.
Which sounds a great idea because Labour has an awful lot to answer for over equal pay and the best way to get the Party to take a long hard look at itself if you ask me, would be to sweep away all the political deadwood at Westminster.
And a good place to start would be with the four North Lanarkshire Labour MPs who have stood on the sidelines while the fight for equal pay with Labour-run North Lanarkshire Council has been raging for the past 10 years.
Now my contacts with the SNP are not great, but I imagine there must be readers in North Lanarkshire who are able to speak to their local SNP councillor or MSP and discuss the idea in more detail.
Because wouldn't it be just great of one of the Equal Pay claimants, a Home Carer perhaps, were to stand in the forthcoming election and give the Labour MPs a real showing up for their cowardly political behaviour?
