Scotland's Ministerial Code (Week 10) - Just Sayin'!
"Step forward Sir Laurie Magnus for his first major mission." https://t.co/F5wmv4ppgc
— The Herald (@heraldscotland) January 23, 2023
Good luck to Sir Laurie Magnus who has been given the job of investigating claims that Nadhim Zahawi broke the ministerial code - at Westminster.
I hope he comes up with the right answers without fear or favour.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon (aka 'a supporter of open government' and 'champion of democracy') acts as judge and jury over any claims that her ministers may have broken the ministerial code.
"The Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests is appointed by the Prime Minister to advise him on matters relating to the Ministerial Code. The post holder is independent of government and expected to provide impartial advice to the Prime Minister."
Just sayin'!
Scotland, Democracy and Hypocrisy Week 9 (January 17, 2023)
"1.1. Scottish Ministers are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.
"Ministerial Conduct
"1.2. Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect. Working relationships, including with civil servants, Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues and Parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate. Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour, wherever it takes place, is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated.
"1.3. The Ministerial Code should be read against the background of the overarching duty on Ministers to comply with the law, including international law and treaty obligations, and to uphold the administration of justice and to protect the integrity of public life. They are expected to observe the Seven Principles of Public Life (set out in the Annex to this Code) and the following principles of Ministerial conduct:"
Scotland's Democracy Isn't Working 8 (January 11, 2023)
Looks like I'll have to send a chase-up letter to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, because it's now Week 8 and there's still no response to my complaint against Patrick Harvie under the ministerial code.
Beggars belief to me that politicians bang on about being 'champions of democracy' yet they treat fellow citizens with such disdain and disrespect when it suits their purpose.
Scotland's Democracy Isn't Working 7 (January 04, 2023)
Week 7 - there's something rotten at the heart of our government when Scottish ministers feel able to treat citizens raising serious issues with contempt and disdain.
I'd like to hear for myself how Patrick Harvie justifies support for gender ideology and his view that men are able to transform themselves into women by the power of their own minds.
I think that's a reasonable question to ask of an elected public representative, yet Harvie refuses to meet with me because I attended a rally in support of women's rights at the Scottish Parliament back in October 2022.
Seven weeks on and Nicola Sturgeon refuses to say whether this ugly 'cancel culture' behaviour is acceptable under her government and Scotland's ministerial code.
Scotland's Democracy Isn't Working (December 28, 2022)
Six weeks have now passed since I submitted my complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code - see previous posts below.
The First Minister has yet to acknowledge never mind respond to my complaint, despite the small army of civil servants and advisers at her beck and call.
In my view it's outrageous that a highly paid minister should be able to cancel, ban or otherwise punish a local constituent for attending a rally in support of women's rights at the Scottish Parliament.
Politicians are supposed to be accountable and I am still interested to hear for myself why Patrick Harvie believes that a man can literally transform himself into a woman - via a thought process inside his own head.
To my mind the policy of self-ID is anti-science, anti-reason and anti-women - which requires rational, intelligent people to suspend their powers of disbelief as if signing up to a religious doctrine.
Because if a man change his sex in this way, surely he can also do the same when it comes to his age or racial group?
Scotland's Democracy Isn't Working (December 21, 2022)
Scotland's democracy isn't working if leading politicians are able to cancel, ban and punish local constituents for holding perfectly reasonable views which differ to their own.
Democracy Is About Much More Than IndyRef2! (December 20, 2022)
Scotland's First Minister has a small army of officials at her beck and call, yet five weeks have now passed since I submitted my complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code.
Mr Harvie refused to meet with me, as one of hi Glasgow constituents, because I attended a rally at the Scottish Parliament in support of women's rights.
But I say politicians banning, cancelling or punishing people for holding perfectly legitimate views is anti-democratic, illiberal and discriminatory - and against everything the Scottish Parliament is supposed to stand for.
Scottish Democracy and Scotland's Ministerial Code (November 29, 2022)
It's been two weeks since I submitted my complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code.
No response yet from the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.
Cancel Culture vs Scotland's Ministerial Code (November 17, 2022)
I have raised a formal complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code - the process requires my complaint to be considered by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon who brought Mr Harvie into the Scottish Government.
"1.1. Scottish Ministers are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.
"Ministerial Conduct
"1.2. Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect. Working relationships, including with civil servants, Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues and Parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate. Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour, wherever it takes place, is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated.
"1.3. The Ministerial Code should be read against the background of the overarching duty on Ministers to comply with the law, including international law and treaty obligations, and to uphold the administration of justice and to protect the integrity of public life. They are expected to observe the Seven Principles of Public Life (set out in the Annex to this Code) and the following principles of Ministerial conduct:"
