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September 30, 2004
Edinburgh aspires to be UNESCO world city of literature
Edinburgh is being promoted as the first UNESCO World City of Literature, focusing on the Royal Mile. This is presumably to attract tourists rather than writers, but nevertheless seems a good, appropriate idea:
news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1141432004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 02:00 PM | Comments (2)
September 29, 2004
Why the Antonine Wall? Why not Iona?
Lucy Bannerman and Jenny Nobbs have a report in the Herald about the campaign to give World Heritage Site (WHS) status to the Roman Antonine Wall. Supporters hope to “raise the profile of the forgotten frontier”. However protection, not publicity, is the purpose of a WHS. Apparently some 25 out of a total length of 37 miles of the wall “have escaped modern development” though not modern agriculture.
As an archaeologist, I have to wonder how much of the wall really needs extra protection, above and beyond what it receives now. I realize that there is an interesting international tie-up with similar sites in Germany, Austria and Slovenia, but Scotland must have many other candidates for WHS: Iona, Staffa, Rhum, Wester Ross, Callanish, the Cuillins, Inverpolly and maybe others. Unlike the Antonine Wall, some of these are important for tourism and others could benefit from a greater degree of protection.
www.theherald.co.uk/news/24448.html
www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2003/02/SETC144a.aspx
Posted by Simon Holledge at 10:10 AM
September 28, 2004
US Democrat blogs and action committees
Interesting news of Democrat blogs in the States. Markos Moulitsas’s popular DailyKos.com blog now receives 350-400,000 visits every day, while ActBlue.com enables individuals to form their own political action committees (PAC) to raise funds and support candidates.
www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/markosmoulitsas/story/0,15139,1314558,00.html?gusrc=rss
www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,65082,00.html
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:31 PM
Digital divide SNP-style II: Beyond the soapbox
What communication skills are needed by politicians in the first decade of the 21st century? The ability to stand on a soapbox with confidence and talk out of the top of one’s head - or something more than that?
Soapbox skills are important for the leader of a political party in a country where most people still sit passively in front of the television for the best part of their lives, but for most of the rest of the party access to information and command of detail are more to the point.
In the great British tradition of getting other people to do the work, the SNP outsources technical help. The SNP website is created by a company called Heehaw Multimedia. Many MSP websites are apparently done by outsiders. Multimedia presentations, if there are any, are probably also paid for rather than created by the speakers themselves.
There are several problems with this, not least the fact that the SNP doesn’t have any money. Also party leaders are also failing to acquire the skills necessary for directing their own staff. We wouldn’t put people who can’t read and write in charge of libraries, so why should we have computer illiterates in charge of parliamentary and constituency offices?
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:37 AM
September 27, 2004
The problem of the post offices
Mike Weir MP has been talking about increasing closures of post offices and the gap this leaves in local life, especially for the elderly. At the same time the BBC have a report on post offices in Norfolk working with the police to provide essential services.
Given the necessary flexibility, there should also be scope for post office functions to be doubled up with other local services - GP surgeries, local government offices, the fire service, lifeboat stations or whatever - and provide access to the internet!
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2456
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/3691624.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:14 PM
September 26, 2004
Robin Cook on avoiding Texanization
Robin Cook has been talking some basic geopolitics on the fringes of the Labour Conference:
“The Bush administration is showing a missionary zeal to remake the world in the mould of Texas: if Europe wants to avoid that fate, it’s got to be strong. The lesson of the last four years is that when Europe is divided its views can be ignored and when Europe is weak its values can be undermined. The world needs a strong Europe arguing with one clear voice for respect for international law.”
Cook also warned of the dangers of putting off joining the single currency. This is something the SNP need to pick up on. The more the British economy diverges from Europe, the more difficult Scottish independence will become, the more convergence there is, the easier it will be.
politics.guardian.co.uk/labour2004/story/0,14991,1312914,00.html
Posted by Simon Holledge at 07:31 PM
September 25, 2004
Excellent response to Salmond speech
Alex Salmon’s conference speech was very well received by the media.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3685470.stm
news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1122322004
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1122592004
news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1122192004
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3689994.stm
The whole text is on the SNP website.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2455
Posted by Simon Holledge at 08:21 PM
September 24, 2004
Personal message to Sandra White MSP
Edinburgh
24 September 2004
Dear Sandra,
I understand that you voted against the SNP conference motion for a public smoking ban. According to the BBC, you said “the party of independence should not be restricting personal freedoms”. Did they report you accurately? They say you are a smoker.
Actually, this looks pretty bad. An SNP MSP - who should be a community role model - in denial over smoking! Oh dear!
My understanding is that the SNP support personal freedoms that do not harm other people. They don’t support those that are harmful, such as possessing guns, drunk driving, polluting, crime etc. Isn’t that right?
Sandra, let’s think about this . . . if you come into a restaurant just after me, sit down at the next table and lite up, I am going to be forced to share your smoke. This is a form of physical assault. It may be slow and insidious, rather than blatant and aggressive, but it is still a form of assault.
You are a community figure. Doesn’t that mean you try to exemplify positive social values and deplore anti-social behaviour?
Maybe you’d like to think about this? Perhaps write back?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Simon
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3686798.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 07:00 PM
BBC fails to stream Salmond speech
I was looking forward to hearing Alex Salmond’s speech - apparently a fine one - but the BBC failed to stream it. According to their website they were going to broadcast from the conference from 1415 to 16.15, but they never set it up.
And the moral for the SNP is? Never trust the BBC! Mark you, I am not accusing them of sabotage. There are technical faults on their website every day!
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3685470.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 06:41 PM
Scottish studies, not just Scottish history
The SNP conference has called for Scottish history to be taught in schools. Amazing that it isn’t. This reminds me of the situation in third world countries (Hong Kong is a good example) where education is focused on the cultures of western countries and students know little about their own history, literature, geography etc.
However teaching just history is not the answer, students need a general knowledge of Scotland including the natural sciences, prehistory, literature etc., and above all they should get out of the classroom and actually learn about the country from direct experience on field trip projects.
news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=324&id=1117672004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:45 AM
Independence 2: Wendy Alexander on fiscal autonomy
Wendy Alexander (Labour MSP for Paisley North) has linked up Alex Salmond Vs. Elis-Thomas on independence (September 21: Independence I: Inevitability) with the Hallwood/MacDonald paper (with her introduction) from Fraser of Allander (September 16: ‘Fiscal Federalism in Scotland’). Perhaps it’s understandable that she would want to to get a bit more mileage out of her involvement with the latter.
Alexander’s argument appears to be this:
- The SNP is arguing for fiscal autonomy which doesn’t exist in any other federal or devolved country in the world (as confirmed by Hallwood and MacDonald).
- The SNP is frightened to argue for independence, instead it is presenting fiscal autonomy as a viable option for a devolved Scotland, spuriously claiming that more financial powers will bring economic growth.
This is convoluted.
The SNP believe devolution is inadequate. They want Holyrood to have more powers. Naturally they want Scotland to have more control over the money. They have a policy objective of independence. This is straightforward, no?
If, as Alexander suggests, fiscal autonomy is tantamount to independence (although I have some doubts about that) I don’t see why this should pose any problems for the SNP - or Scotland.
news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=324&id=1108842004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:18 AM
September 23, 2004
Salmond keeps his promise
Alex Salmond has kept his leadership campaign promise to sign up the 10,000th party member. Bushra Bashir, a 21-year-old student from Strathbungo joined the SNP during the conference.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2451
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3682354.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:49 PM
Measuring wind-energy potential
This year American wind farms will produce 16.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, and the energy sector is fast developing. This has created a demand for the measurement of wind-energy potential for possible sites for future wind turbines. Companies are now producing detailed computer models of wind and weather patterns for the whole of the United States. Wind forecasting is also being offered so that wind farms know when they are likely to be producing more or less energy.
www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65001,00.html
www.windlogics.com/
www.awstruewind.com/
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:20 AM
September 22, 2004
Invited to the SNP Conference/not
The SNP Conference opened today and the Skakagrall was not invited. Well . . . I received an email invitation from Peter Murrell, the Chief Executive but that was evidently as an SNP member not as a blogger: a bit disappointing. Were any asked? This is the only regular SNP blog being published so it seems unlikely.
To be realistic, it’s highly unlikely that the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness would have either internet access or WiFi, but it’s something to think about for the future.
The Democrats asked 35 bloggers to Boston, the Republicans invited about 20 to New York. The Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth have a group of bloggers in attendance. The Labour conference will probably attract a good number, especially as WiFi coverage is apparently good in Brighton.
There is some information on Voxpolitics:
www.voxpolitics.com/weblog/archives/000479.html#000479
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:14 PM | Comments (2)
Boris Johnson blogs . . .
Boris Johnson has joined us . . . well, not exactly the SNP . . . the blogging community!
On Monday, he began his blog (‘Boris reporting for duty’), explaining that a “very persuasive man . . . told me that blogging is the future. He spoke of the online community, and its rapid expansion. He said that newspapers were outmoded. He spoke of a new kind of politics. He waved his hands and rolled his eyes. So I have acceded to his advice, and begun to blog . . . the idea is that I fall out of bed every morning, blazing with inspiration, and thunder out 3000 words on the issue of the hour, so generating a pandemic internet controversy”.
Good luck! We need all the pandemonium we can get!
Johnson (Conservative/?) is the 5th blogging MP following Richard Allan (Lib Dem/Wordpress), Clive Soley (Labour/Typepad), Tom Watson (Labour/Movable Type) and Shaun Woodward (Labour/Other Media?), all of whom have well-designed, active sites. Four Westminster candidates also have blogs.
Posted by Simon Holledge at 05:11 PM | Comments (2)
September 21, 2004
Independence I: Inevitability
Alex Salmond recently described independence “as inevitable as anything can be in politics”, a neat turn of phrase (BBC One’s Breakfast with Frost).
Meanwhile, Lord Elis-Thomas, presiding officer of the Welsh Assembly and former leader of Plaid Cymru, has been saying there is no longer any room for independence parties in post-devolution Britain. “You have this improbable allegiance of some people to something called independence… . Not since the seventh century was this ever a real political project, and yet there are still people who pursue the goal of Welsh independence and Scottish independence as if this were the real issue.”
Leaving aside Lord Elis-Thomas’s history (was he misquoted? was he just referring to Wales?) who is likely to be right?
My own view is that more independence will be inevitable if (a) political parties can demonstrate that Scotland has a distinct national interest, and (b) existing devolved powers are handled at least as competently as they were by London before devolution.
It is up to the SNP to explain and propagandize the former, while maintaining pressure on the Scottish Executive to perform the latter. This shouldn’t be too difficult. I am optimistic about Scotland precisely because I am pessimistic about England. Short of a Liberal Democrat British government, I don’t see any real reform coming out of Westminster: no constitutional reform, no progress on Europe, no new foreign policy, and piecemeal and only moderately-successful action on public services. England will remain what it is now, a low productivity backwater of Europe, with enormous pretentions and not a lot to show for them.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3628868.stm
news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1090592004
[This is the first of a series of posts addressing the subject of Scottish independence.]
Posted by Simon Holledge at 02:19 PM | Comments (2)
MacAskill calls for a reformed, devolved civil service
In the aftermath of the Fraser Report (into the management of the Scottish Parliament building project), Kenny MacAskill MSP has called for the civil service to be properly devolved (“led from and accountable to Scotland”), noting precedents in Belgium and Canada.
After the Holyrood farrago, reform of the civil service is obviously well and truly overdue. May the SNP continue to energetically pursue it!
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2443
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:50 AM | Comments (1)
September 20, 2004
Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index (GPI)
An organization in Canada called GPI Atlantic has created a Genuine Progress Index (GPI),
This is “an alternative to the practice of equating progress with economic growth alone. The GPI links the economy with social and environmental variables to create a more comprehensive and accurate measurement tool. The GPI accounts for the value of human, social, and natural capital, in addition to standard measures of produced capital, and assigns value to assets like population health, educational attainment, community safety, voluntary work, and environmental quality. The Nova Scotia GPI consists of 22 social, economic and environmental components.”
GPI Atlantic have published some 50 reports on the economic costs of such things as tobacco, obesity, and crime. Of particular interest is an assessment of the ‘true’ cost of recycling. Nova Scotia is a world leader in this field, recycling about half of all its rubbish.
www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,64900,00.html?tw=wnstorypage_prev2
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:32 PM
September 19, 2004
Wind energy: 'Embrace the revolution'
Pro-wind energy activists have a beautifully-designed new website entitled ‘Embrace the revolution’. The public are invited to show their support for wind energy by signing up online.
Earlier this month, James Reynolds, the environment correspondent of the Scotsman, wrote about Scottish wind farms and manufacturers for the renewable energy industry:
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1050812004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:39 PM
September 18, 2004
Crawford on saving BT call boxes
Bruce Crawford is objecting to BT ‘closing’ 1,000 of their 6,000 public telephone boxes in Scotland.
I wasn’t aware they were still being used. I thought attempts to save the old red boxes were purely archaeological. Even if the boxes are still occasionally used, wouldn’t it be better to concentrate on putting in modern communications systems?
BT is now a privatized telecom and like similar companies it is oriented towards making a profit rather than providing a service. Britain is still relatively backward as a result of the government allowing the interests of BT to overrule those of technological progress - a case of entrusting a highwayman with building the roads. Wouldn’t it be better to leave BT out of the picture now?
American communities, particularly in remote areas, have their own communications projects, whether based on wire, cable, fibre, wireless, satellite or power-line transmission. Scotland should do the same thing? No town or village should be left off the net. Whatever legal obstacles exist should be challenged and removed.
Compared to other infrastructure projects such as modernizing the railways and building roads, modern communications are cheap, quick and easy to implement. They are also arguably far more important.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2438
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3663636.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 09:37 PM
September 17, 2004
More on Blair impeachment
Impeachment now has the support of 21 MPs.
This is both a moral issue - a prime minister should not mislead parliament and the country with impunity - and also a practical political one. Any positive and progressive policies that Blair may support are harmed by the association. He is a liability and embarrassment to pro-Europeans and his support for the European Constitution referendum will lose votes if he remains in office.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2437
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2433
Disappointingly Menzies Campbell describes impeachment as “a silly season stunt”, so presumably the Liberal Democrats will not officially back it, even if it attracts significant support from main party back benchers.
http://www.libdems.org.uk/index.cfm/page.homepage/section.home/article.7383
The ImpeachBlair website www.ImpeachBlair.org has been smartened up and it is now possible to register with them. Unfortunately the site is still not up to date with the list of supporting MPs.
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:08 AM
September 16, 2004
'Fiscal Federalism in Scotland'
Paul Hallwood and Ronald MacDonald’s paper on ‘The Economic Case for Fiscal Federalism in Scotland’, with an introduction by Wendy Alexander, is available as a pdf from the Fraser of Allander Institute of the University of Strathclyde (74 pp).
www.fraser.strath.ac.uk/Allander/AllanderPapers.htm
Jim Mather of the SNP commented: “While today’s outcome was not a complete success for the argument for fiscal autonomy, it is definitely a step in the right direction and I hope we can push it further in the future.”
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2426
Posted by Simon Holledge at 09:32 AM
September 15, 2004
Holyrood Security V: Reid Vs The Scotsman
George Reid, the Parliament’s Presiding Officer, is unhappy about the reporting of Holyrood security failures by the Scotsman.
He writes to MSPs and staff: ” . . . we have difficulty with the accuracy of parts of the articles and, in consequence, with the heavy emphasis which the paper has put on terrorist threats …”
“The key issue, common to all public buildings these days, is the difficulty in enforcing a rigid policy of everyone wearing a badge - and of guests being accompanied at all times. This is a matter of shared responsibility for MSPs, researchers, journalists and all staff who work at Holyrood.”
Any comment would probably be superfluous.
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1080572004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 05:46 PM
Fraser Report: Holyrood pre-disastered
The Fraser Report into the [mis]management of the Scottish Parliament building project was published today.
Lord Fraser:”I’m delighted to say that my report is by its due date and within budget.”
Alex Salmond and Linda Fabiani commented (below) for the SNP. Fabiani should be credited for coining the term ‘pre-disastered’.
www.holyroodinquiry.org/FINAL_report/report.htm
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2430
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2434
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3659940.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3656166.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3658840.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3659766.stm
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1086962004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 05:21 PM
September 14, 2004
Holyrood Security IV: Another Investigation
Would you believe it? More in the saga of the so-called security at Holyrood. This time GBP 10,000 has been stolen from a catering company’s safe. There will (of course) be another investigation.
Quote from Margo MacDonald: “This latest incident spreads the myth that we couldn’t run a raffle.” Myth? Did the lady say myth?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3653408.stm
news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1077322004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:09 AM
September 13, 2004
Digital Divide SNP-Style I: Websites
The internet doesn’t feature much in SNP plans and it’s easy to see why. Most of the party leaders are not interested. It’s indicative that only half the SNP representatives at Holyrood, Westminster and Brussels have their own websites (list below).
The reason for an MSP/MEP/MP having a website is to provide accessible public information about the member’s activities, including contact details. It’s not the only way of making information available but - unlike most of the others - it’s not ephemeral. It’s always there, always available. It’s a minimum presence on the net. It isn’t interactive. It doesn’t invite discussion like a weblog (a more ambitious undertaking) but it doesn’t need much maintenance.
The Scottish Parliament website gives some (standardized) pages to MSPs. That’s fine except that they are limited to a set formula with no distinction between members of different parties, and the interface is under the control of civil servants who (now anyway) have problems configuring it.
Those who have their own website (16):
Cunningham, Roseanna MSP, Ewing, Annabelle MSP, Ewing, Fergus MSP, Fabiani, Linda MSP, Grahame, Christine MSP, Hudghton, Ian MEP Hyslop, Fiona MSP, Lochhead, Richard MSP, MacAskill, Kenny MSP, Morgan, Alasdair MSP, Robertson, Angus MP Robison, Shona MSP, Sturgeon, Nicola MSP, Weir, Mike MP White, Sandra MSP, Wishart, Peter MP
Those who don’t have their own website (16):
Adam, Brian MSP, Crawford, Bruce MSP, Ewing, Margaret MSP, Gibson, Rob MSP, Ingram, Adam MSP, Marwick, Tricia MSP, Mather, Jim MSP, Matheson, Michael MSP, Maxwell, Stewart MSP, McFee, Bruce MSP, Neil, Alex MSP, Salmond, Alex MP Smith, Alyn MEP Stevenson, Steward MSP, Swinney, John MSP, Welsh, Andrew MSP
Posted by Simon Holledge at 09:08 PM
Holyrood Security III
There is a follow-up to the Holyrood security story (September 11), again by Angie Brown of the Scotsman, in conversation with a ‘security insider’. Apparently the whole complex is being (expensively?) re-checked.
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1073102004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 02:59 PM
SNP deputy shadows announced
The SNP announced their list of deputy ‘spokespeople’ today.
Ironically, Christine Grahame, who said she wanted to abolish the shadow cabinet in favour of a more egalitarian system, was the only member of the shadow cabinet to be been rewarded with two deputies.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2418
SNP Deputy Spokespeople
Deputy Whip: Bruce McFee MSP (Deputy to Tricia Marwick MSP)
Public Health: Stewart Maxwell MSP (Deputy to Shona Robison MSP)
Children & Early Education: Adam Ingram MSP (Deputy to Fiona Hyslop MSP)
Drugs Policy & Prisons: Stewart Stevenson MSP (Deputy to Kenny MacAskill MSP)
Land Reform: Rob Gibson MSP (Deputy to Richard Lochhead MSP)
Housing & Voluntary Sector: Linda Fabiani MSP (Deputy to Christine Grahame MSP)
Equal Opportunities: Sandra White MSP (Deputy to Christine Grahame MSP)
Tourism: Brian Adam MSP (Deputy to Fergus Ewing MSP)
Foreign Affairs: Alyn Smith MEP (Deputy to Angus Robertson MSP)
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:46 PM
September 12, 2004
New SNP shadow cabinet announced
Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon announced the new SNP shadow cabinet today. The full list of appointments is below. Leaving aside personalities, here are some comments on the way the jobs have been structured.
Justice and social justice are two separate briefs. This is an interesting idea, but how will it work in practice? The environment, rural affairs, energy and fisheries are all combined, as are transport, tourism and telecommunications. Does that make sense? Are there conflicts of interest here - between, for example, the environment and fisheries? Would it make more sense to have the environment (and energy), distinguished from infrastructure (telecommunications and transport), and rural affairs (including fisheries and tourism).
Culture and sport are combined. Why? Because the Labour Party philistines combine them? Culture would be better linked with education, and sport with enterprise. Better still, culture could have its own representative, given that cultural development (in a broad sense) is likely to be a pre-condition for independence.
Who gets the internet? That isn’t clear. Perhaps it goes with telecommunications?
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2417
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3649496.stm
news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=324&id=1072772004
Party Leader and Westminster Group Leader: Alex Salmond MP
Depute Leader and Scottish Parliament Group Leader: Nicola Sturgeon MSP
Business Manager/Chief Whip:Tricia Marwick MSP
Party Business Convener (Subject To Approval By SNP National Council): Bruce Crawford MSP
Health and Community Care: Shona Robison MSP
Education and Lifelong Learning: Fiona Hyslop MSP
Justice: Kenny Macaskill MSP
Environment, Rural Affairs, Energy and Fisheries: Richard Lochhead MSP
Social Justice: Christine Grahame MSP
Transport, Tourism and Telecommunications: Fergus Ewing MSP
Enterprise and Economy: Jim Mather MSP
Culture and Sport: Michael Matheson MSP
Finance: Alasdair Morgan MSP
Work and Pensions: Mike Weir MP
Defence and International Affairs: Angus Robertson MP
European Union: Ian Hudghton MEP
Local Government: Cllr David Alexander (Leader, Falkirk Council)
SNP nominations for committee convenerships:
Health Committee: Roseanna Cunningham MSP
Enterprise Committee: Alex Neil MSP
European Committee: John Swinney MSP
Standards Committee: Brian Adam MSP
Member On SPCB: Andrew Welsh MSP
Posted by Simon Holledge at 04:04 PM
Salmond on the economy
Alex Salmond’s speech to Scotsoft is reported on the SNP website and the BBC.
He notes that “long-term growth in Scotland has been only 1.7% compared to the UK’s 2.3%” also “according to a recent report by the International Institute for Management Development, Scotland is ranked thirty sixth in the world competitiveness rankings. The UK is ranked twenty second.”
Salmond urges encouragement of hi-tech and new startup businesses in Scotland, which is fine as far as it goes.
Low productivity is also a major issue here, as in England, and I hope to return to this subject soon.
www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2415
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3646450.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 02:56 PM
September 11, 2004
Welcome Halliburton!
A special welcome to Vice-President Dick Cheney’s Halliburton Corporation, one of the major suppliers to the US Army in Iraq.
Most of the Skakagrall’s lurkers are Scottish, but we are delighted to welcome readers from across the pond. (Comment too if you like!) The CIA have also been monitoring a whisky distillery on Islay on suspicion of making weapons of mass destruction. No such excitement here, I’m afraid, though, come to think of it, the new Scottish Parliament is connected with a brewery. Does that count? . . . Well guys - have a great visit!
Posted by Simon Holledge at 09:09 PM
Holyrood Security II: 'The Investigation'
A Holyrood spokesman has responded to the report in the Scotsman (entry below) as follows:
“The Scottish Parliament treats security-related issues very seriously. The parliament’s security team immediately launched an investigation on being informed of these reports.”
A security team? There is a security team? As sure as day follows night, bureaucratic pomposity follows bureaucratic incompetence. Why not simply admit there was no security, team or no team, and promise to introduce it right now?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3647846.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 08:42 PM
Holyrood security I
Some journalists from the Scotsman have had some fun testing the (non-existent) security at Holyrood, according to an amusingly written account by Angie Brown. It’s another illustration of just how far you can go in life if you are wearing a suit.
The highlight was a conversation with a workman who “talked openly” about entering the office of the SNP deputy leader one night. “We were in Nicola Sturgeon’s office and some of the guys were playing around with her laptop. We didn’t switch it on, but if we had I don’t know what we might have found. We probably could have seen all her secret files.”
In a way this is reassuring. I had no idea that Nicola Sturgeon had a computer.
Hmm … I suppose this is a serious subject and the newspaper deserves credit for the exposure, but what did anyone expect? It reminds me of a comment by Portillo, at the time of the Bush visit, that the Americans should bring their own security as there wasn’t any here.
Does anyone know any Holyrood lightbulb jokes?
news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1066632004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 10:38 AM
September 10, 2004
Why another university campus for Edinburgh?
Today I read that Scotland’s first new university campus of the 21st century (for Queen Margaret University College) will be built at Craighall, by Musselburgh, on the edge of Edinburgh.
I don’t understand this. Why does Edinburgh need a new university campus? Why not put it in Perth or Inverness where a university could contribute something new to local life and the local economy?
After the controversy about relocating an unwilling Scottish Natural Heritage to inverness, I can’t see the logic of creating a new, much larger institution in Edinburgh. Can anyone explain this to me?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3644494.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:45 PM | Comments (1)
50 things Labour hasn't done since 1997
In December last year, Mark Lazarowicz MP (Edinburgh North and Leith) kindly sent me an inconsequential list of ‘50 things Labour has done since 1997’. I responded with my own list of ‘50 things Labour hasn’t done since 1997’. Looking at the list again almost a year later, I don’t think it needs much revision!
Labour has:
- Failed to democratically reform the House of Lords.
- Failed to support the United Nations on Iraq.
- Failed to safeguard the rights of British subjects in Guantanamo.
- Failed to correct social abuses in the armed forces (e.g. Deepcut murders).
- Failed to resolve the issue of Scottish MPs voting on English affairs (but not vice versa, the ‘West Lothian Question’).
- Failed to respect the legitimate rights of Londoners to run their own affairs (e.g. the Underground).
- Failed to introduce curbs on smoking in public places.
- Failed to accelerate the introduction of broadband and advanced fibre networks (AFN).
- Failed to bring terrorist suspects in Britain to court.
- Failed to end the practice of slopping out in British Prisons.
- Failed to supply the army in Iraq adequately for a war theoretically involving weapons of mass destruction.
- Failed to object to the use of torture in foreign countries to obtain information about terrorism.
- Failed to recognize the rights of immigrant children (e.g. Barlinnie etc.).
- Failed to resolve the symbolic issue of fox hunting.
- Failed to formulate any international policies concerning the Internet (including spam abuse).
- Failed to relieve congestion points on motorways.
- Failed to reform the Crown Prosecution Service.
- Failed to join the euro.
- Failed to encourage a fixed rate mortgage system for house loans.
- Failed to encourage recycling of domestic rubbish.
- Failed to formulate a viable national policy for the fishing industry.
- Failed to guarantee the rights of secularists and humanists, on an equal basis with faith communities.
- Failed to formulate a policy to make computers available to all primary and secondary schools pupils, and to use computers in examinations.
- Failed to maintain an impartial relationship with both American political parties.
- Failed to develop cheaper and more humane alternatives to imprisonment.
- Failed to respect the independence of the civil service.
- Failed to encourage organic farming.
- Failed to run intelligence services producing reliable information.
- Failed to interest the public in political processes.
- Failed to modernize voting systems.
- Failed to introduce fair, consistent and stable government charging for monopoly services.
- Failed to make the legal system more accessible to ordinary people.
- Failed to reform the appointment system in the NHS.
- Failed to devolve the power to tax to the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament.
- Failed to reform the out-of-date British GP system (NHS).
- Failed to modernize the diplomatic service and to utilize British government property overseas productively.
- Failed to reform British Telecom and the rest of the telecommunications industry.
- Failed to increase national productivity.
- Failed to reform the Post Office.
- Failed to create an English Parliament responsible for English affairs
- Failed to modernize the railways.
- Failed to revive manufacturing industry.
- Failed to modernize and scale down the monarchy.
- Failed to significantly reduce poverty and inequality.
- Failed to encourage the arts.
- Failed to deal with drug abuse.
- Failed to introduce a modern curriculum to British schools.
- Failed to reform private education in Britain.
- Failed to develop significant use of alternative sources of energy (wind farms etc.).
- Failed to modernize the police and police methods.
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:54 PM
September 09, 2004
'Restricted view' in the public gallery
It has already been pointed out (in the Scotsman?) that the Holyrood public gallery is in the wrong place. It should be facing the Debating Chamber, not at the back of it. Now, as Fergus Ewing has noted, about 10 percent of the public seats have no view.
How was it possible to design a public space like the chamber and not employ anyone who knew about sightlines?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3640776.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 03:33 PM | Comments (1)
Greenhouse gases into fertilizer?
Eprida in Georgia (USA) are working on a new technology that involves taking greenhouse gases produced from the burning of fossil fuels and converting them into fertilizer that is returned to the earth, a simpler, probably cheaper, alternative to ocean sequestration or storage deep underground.
www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,64871,00.html
Posted by Simon Holledge at 01:50 PM
September 08, 2004
The Wimpy Voices of Holyrood
Imagine - It is 16 March 44 BC, Marcus Antonius strides into the packed Roman Forum. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your … “. [Voice goes dead. Yell from behind the plinth] “Hey you, you bleeding idiot - you pulled out the bleeding cable …”
It is 3 April 1917. Lenin arrives at the Finland Station. He is met by his multimedia and sound team. “Vladimir Ilyich, we have had to postpone everything …”
It is 4 June 1940, Britain’s darkest hour, the Prime Minister is in mid-speech, “We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall …” [Voice goes dead. Civil servant rushes in.] “Awfully sorry PM. Tech probs. Can we do it again tomorrow? “
Fact - yesterday the BBC reported on the first day at Holyrood, “The debate ended when MSPs were cut short after microphones failed and business stopped early.” news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3635060.stm
Whatever happened to the human voice?
Gladstone could address 10,000 people in a market square. Did he need a microphone? Did Lincoln? Or Lloyd George? What do we have now? MSPs hiding behind microphones like lung-collapsed pop singers! Shame on you all!
Posted by Simon Holledge at 07:16 PM | Comments (1)
Congratulations Valvona and Crolla!
Valvona and Crolla, Edinburgh’s splendid food and wine shop, was founded on the 8th of September 1934 - 70 years ago today!
Posted by Simon Holledge at 02:17 PM | Comments (1)
September 07, 2004
Holyrood in business!
Holyrood enjoyed a low key opening today with a low-key address by our First Minister. Linda Fabiani (SNP MSP), to her great credit, has said that she hopes Holyrood will inject “a bit of fun into politics” and energize the electorate. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3631816.stm
Great. However visitors must behave with due decorum. I don’t have the dress code here, but I do have a copy of the code of behaviour.
Interesting that laptops and recording equipment are not allowed. Maybe concerned citizens attending committee meeting have to take an old-fashioned shorthand secretary with them, use longhand, or rely on official transcriptions? Powerpoint presentations are out anyway. Are PDAs allowed? Maybe they forgot to add them to the list?
If you take a tour they are going to ask you to pay 3.50 on top of the 431,000,000 pounds you have already given them. Be magnanimous! Just wear a very large lapel button with the word SPONSOR on it.
[The public may visit on business days between 09.00 and 19.00 and on non-business days from 10.00 to 18.00 (April to October), 10.00 to 16.00 (November to March), and on weekends from 10.00 to 16.00. It’s closed on December 25/26 and January 1/2. Telephone number 0131 348 5000, email sp.info@scorrish.parliament.uk.]
Posted by Simon Holledge at 09:11 PM
First Scottish LNG filling station opens
After the climate change report (last entry) any good news is welcome - however small! Here is one item:
Chive Fuels have just opened Scotland’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) filling station on the M74 near Lesmahagow. LNG is a cheaper and cleaner fuel than diesel, suitable for heavy goods vehicles.
http://www.chive-ltd.co.uk/chivefuels/naturalgasmarket_news.htm
Posted by Simon Holledge at 05:49 PM
EEA report: 'Impacts of Europe's changing climate'
A detailed report about climate change was published by the European Environmental Agency on 18 August, entitled ‘Impacts of Europe’s changing climate’.
From the press release:
“More frequent and more economically costly storms, floods, droughts and other extreme weather. Wetter conditions in northern Europe but drier weather in the south that could threaten agriculture in some areas. More frequent and more intense heatwaves, posing a lethal threat to the elderly and frail. Melting glaciers, with three-quarters of those in the Swiss Alps likely to disappear by 2050. Rising sea levels for centuries to come. These are among the impacts of global climate change that are already being seen in Europe or are projected to happen over the coming decades as global temperatures rise… .
The extent and rate of the climate changes under way most likely exceed all natural variation in climate over the last thousand years and possibly longer. The 1990s were the warmest decade on record and the three hottest years recorded - 1998, 2002 and 2003 - have occurred in the last six years. The global warming rate is now almost 0.2 °C per decade.
Europe is warming faster than the global average. The temperature in Europe has risen by an average of 0.95 °C in the last hundred years and is projected to climb by a further 2.0-6.3 °C this century as emissions of greenhouse gases continue building up.”
There is a lot of important (and rather scary) data in this report - not least about the warming of the North Sea - and I’ll be returning to look at sections of it again later.
org.eea.eu.int/documents/newsreleases/climate_report-en
Posted by Simon Holledge at 05:02 PM
September 06, 2004
Voice over IP/emergency services over the internet
Ofcom’s consultation (see last entry) lasts until 15 November.
They are asking whether VoIP networks should be required to include access to 999 emergency numbers. VoIP phones can access ordinary numbers so this is a rather odd question anyway, but I wonder if anyone could seriously suggest that (largely) foreign networks should provide services that our own local police, ambulance and fire services are unwilling to provide themselves.
No emergency services in Britain are available over the net, as far as I know, despite the fact that the internet may be our only effective means of communications in a disaster or terrorist attack (e.g. the Kobe earthquake of 1995).
Posted by Simon Holledge at 03:55 PM
Voice over IP
You can call me for free on 1 747 668 2317. It won’t cost you anything. It won’t cost me anything. The call doesn’t come to my telephone. It comes to my computer. It’s called ‘voice over IP’ or VoIP. VoIP has been around for a few years, but is only now achieving the critical mass to allow it to take off.
The good news is that soon you won’t have to pay BT (or whoever) for your telephone - though you will have to pay someone for your internet connection. It’s part of the inevitable process in which the internet takes over from traditional media, broadcasting and telecommunications.
Ofcom has just recognized the existence of VoIP and released a consultation document:
www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/current/newvoice/newvoice_pes/
They have announced that VoIP numbers will have an ‘area code’ of 056, this is important as it will enable calls from ordinary telephones to VoIP. This is not possible at the moment unless the VoIP user buys an 0870 number.
Posted by Simon Holledge at 03:16 PM
September 05, 2004
PCB cleanup
A Stanford team is testing a new method of removing PCB contamination from the San Francisco seashore using activated carbon mixed into the top layer of sediment. The team hopes the PCBs will bind to the carbon, making them less likely to accumulate in clams, fish and other wildlife. Relevant to Scotland?
www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,64832,00.html/wn_ascii
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:46 PM
September 04, 2004
The euro on 1 January 2005?
Speculating … what if we adopted the euro on 1 January 2005?
What would be the advantages? It would benefit tourism and the banking and financial sectors. Office blocks currently empty in Edinburgh would be filled by companies relocating from London to take advantage of being in euroland. Some manufacturing and service jobs would also come here. There would be closer economic relations with the continent, and Ireland. Scotland would be no longer be subject to Bank of England interest rates, and Whitehall financial policies.
And the disadvantages? A bit of a headache certainly for Gordon Brown and the Treasury - but then they’re not in Scotland, and our large property owners might not be in favour if they thought it would affect land values. Anything else?
Posted by Simon Holledge at 04:04 PM
September 03, 2004
Salmond/Sturgeon elected
Congratulations to Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon on a decisive election victory. I hope this marks the beginning of better times for the SNP, a period of renewed energy and determination, and a new and productive involvement in all aspects of Scottish political life.
Votes for leader: Alex Salmond 4,952, Roseanna Cunningham 953, Mike Russell 631
Votes for deputy leader: Nicola Sturgeon 3,521, Fergus Ewing 1,605, Christine Grahame 1,410
An appreciation also of John Swinney, a fine but unlucky leader. Newspapers and television would have us believe that the right policies bring immediate electoral success, that failure implies poor choices. This is not so. The SNP have to develop the best policies, popular or unpopular - as John Swinney did - and patiently await their chances.
On a different note, Mark Hirst of Abernethy (I trust I have permission to quote him) commented on the BBC News site:
“The SNP likes its fish. The two were mermaid for each other and it looks like the membership has swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker. Saying that, the SNP has a track record of electing a haddock as leader. I don’t want to sound like an old crab here but let’s hope this doesn’t mark the fin for independence or we’ll all be in the drink.”
And that’s the last fish joke that will appear on this blog!
Posted by Simon Holledge at 12:07 PM | Comments (1)
September 02, 2004
(Partly) Car-free Royal Mile
Following on from yesterday’s piece about litter and pedestrianization (Edinburgh Dirty City): John Innes had written a report in the Scotsman explaining that the Royal Mile is going to be made car-free – but only the section between Parliament Square and Cockburn Street.
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1029412004
I was interested to read that this stretch of the Royal Mile actually does have traffic restrictions now, but “many car drivers … regularly flout the ban despite the threat of police action”. That includes me! I didn’t know it wasn’t allowed. Either my eyesight isn’t very good, or the signs are rather discreet!
Anyway this is one motorist who would like to see the whole of the Royal Mile car-free.
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:43 PM
September 01, 2004
Edinburgh Dirty City
Outside our flat on a fairly average day Photo © S Holledge
One of the first things I noticed about Edinburgh, after I came here, was the litter. I live on a commercial / residential street. There are some well-known companies here, but none of their employees would ever actually go out and pick anything up. After Tokyo, this surprised me. The Japanese take responsibility for keeping clean the area immediately in front of their houses and businesses.
Alastair Jamieson had an interesting article about this in yesterday’s Scotsman. Edinburgh is compared with Copenhagen, one of Europe’s cleanest cities, which has an individual responsibility system like Tokyo. Edinburgh spends GBP 78 per head per year on street cleaning, whereas Copenhagen, comparable in size and population, spends GBP 17.
One thing that Jamieson didn’t mention: Edinburgh also has very few pedestrianized areas compared to other European cities. The Royal Mile is probably the only street of its kind in Europe that you can still drive up and down. Why is this?
thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1019302004
Posted by Simon Holledge at 01:15 PM | Comments (2)
Voter turnout 79.4 percent
Despite speculation in the Scotsman that the SNO leadership election turnout would not be high (see link to the latest story below right), the Salmond/Sturgeon campaign announced this morning that 79.4 percent of members had voted. This is impressive, given an August election and the less than total reliability of the British postal system!
Posted by Simon Holledge at 11:55 AM