The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow Uni

Ex SNP Deputy leader Jim Sillars says Devo-max is a dodgy back-up plan to save SNP, party struggle with lack of ideas in their intellectual desert

2012-02-15T14:28:00.015Z

Dear All

The SNP has been in existence for over 75 years, during that time you might have thought that they would have produced a rolling blue print for how an independent Scotland would look.

But to produce a rolling blue print requires work, and work and work.

So, we don’t have a rolling blue print for independence of how an independent Scotland would look and operate, post independence.

Defence which is a key issue has been ‘photocopied’, someone else done the work and the SNP Government like a kid with its eyes firmly fixed on a can of juice was transfixed.

Juice, Juice Juice!!!!!!!!!

So, we get someone who looks at an English defence review for Scotland and then states we will have that.

Juice, Juice Juice!!!!!!!!!

Taking part of someone’s work and trying to use it creates limited understanding.

The SNP policy on defence was shown to be ‘wanting’ not just on application but in design.

This represents a problem for the SNP, slogans and gimmicks replacing real indepth policy.

Recently, the leader of the Glasgow SNP Council Group, Allison Hunter boldly stated on policy:

“Actually, I’m not an out-there leader. I’m a team leader. So we haven’t actually thought about that yet.”

People call the SNP a one man band, it isn’t but it isn’t much more than that.

Why is the independence referendum in 2014?

It is quite simple and I blogged on the date as mid 2014 before the SNP made their official announcement.

It has to do with WORK!!!!!!!!!

So, why so far away, it is to do with logistics of SNP Branches and their abilities. At present the SNP has set branches the task of creating a database of the 500 most important people in each branch area who could be open to the idea of independence. A database starting from scratch isn’t easy by any means because from my experience of branches SNP members don’t have much contact with their communities.

In Pollok were I am a member during my time, the branch never campaigned on local issues, never campaigned for local organisations and never campaigned for local people, in trouble, as a branch activity.

I was never in my entire time involved in a local campaign.

Never!

That is why if you knocked on someone’s door and say could you tell me the name of the last local candidate, chances are they wouldn’t know. The SNP Candidate for Pollok Chris Stephens came very close in the Holyrood 2011 election but he never won, and he has never won in any of the three times he has stood in the Pollok area.

Another task set by the SNP for branches is to double their membership; again, the amount of work to achieve this is substantial because few have the capability to do sales. And if you are going to sell an SNP membership, generally people want something for parting with their cash.

And the SNP doesn’t offer a lot for the price of their membership rather people offer more than the SNP offers them.

There is as well, activism, where SNP members get the opportunity to provide the party with free labour as unpaid postmen to deliver their leaflets in the election cycle, however if you turn up regularly then you are just seen as a menial and used as such, my SNP experience.

So, the SNP needs a fallback position in the independence referendum, that is why the “devo-max” question is still being promoted.

It is the SNP’s each way bet, win win; if they lose the referendum then they can claim a victory of sorts to their membership.

Jim Sillars, one of the party’s former deputy leaders says a “devo-max” question in the independence referendum is a “fraudulent claim.” I wouldn’t say that it is fraudulent but shouldn’t be on the ballot paper because it wasn’t in the manifesto and as such there is no mandate for it.

Devo-max is as Sillars says designed to keep the Nationalist movement intact and in power if it loses the vote on the future of the UK.

The SNP maybe the largest party in Scotland, but very few people are willing to work for it as activists, I would suggest because of the way it is run.

It isn’t run as a political party but rather as a protest movement with a clique at its centre.

In trying to have its cake and eat it, the SNP does send out a dual message, lack of confidence and confidence regarding the case for independence. This is because the work needed to be done for independence hasn’t been done, the campaign may have been planned but beyond that there is little to suggest that substance backs up the case. It is all about hope and aspiration rather than about nuts and bolts coupled with reality.

Devo max is all about the SNP having something to take to the voters in the 2016 Holyrood election so they can claim they are moving ‘forward’ the current SNP slogan which if things don’t work out will go the same way as ‘elect a people’s champion’.

That theme died a death at the Westminster 2010 election.

The reason was simple the public didn’t believe the people put forward by the SNP were people’s champions.

Not a single seat was gained.

Take a candidate’s name type him or her in google and generally you get nothing, champions that don’t fight or stand up and be counted, aren’t champions Mr. Salmond.

An SNP spokesman said Mr Sillars was “entitled to his view”, but insisted it would leave open the option of a second question.

Sillars wrotes:

“Time… for the SNP to put aside what would be a fraudulent claim to implement devo-max, and produce policies on the detailed issues that will determine the result when the historic day arrives. Lack of preparation is allowing the Unionists to set the agenda.”

The lack of work as Sillars points out is a serious problem for the SNP.

Currency is also flagged up as another SNP elephant in the room which is glossed over as a ‘done deal’ when no deal exists.

Sillars says the SNP have been neglect over the detail of independence which has been manifest on defence and currency in recent weeks.

On the latter, Mr Sillars remarks:

“As for the Bank of England being lender of last resort, it is absurd.”

He goes on:

“If Whitehall agrees to the Salmond proposal, there will have to be a treaty to determine the rules of the new sterling currency union; and an independent Scotland will not be the stronger side of the negotiations because, as [Chancellor George] Osborne would point out, the alternative to agreeing the treaty terms dictated by Westminster would be the euro.”

Which brings me finally to Plan McP, the realisation that a Scottish pound is needed which I previously blogged on as a solution. It may mean that in the short term Sterling and currency union is advisable as a stepping stone.

But a new State bank for Scotland is needed, something else I previously blogged on ahead of time, as part of work needed for my City Sovereign Fund idea to address local government reform.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scottish National Police Force lacks scrutiny says Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, former chief of SCDEA, SNP ruin great idea by lack of accountability

2012-02-15T13:20:00.003Z

Dear All

On the 4th September I attended the Scottish National Party’s National Assembly in Perth hosted by Nicola Sturgeon.

At that event the SNP were looking for ideas to improve Scotland and increase their chances for re-election.

I proposed the Scottish National Police Force and the Scottish National Fire Service.

In my proposal for the Police, I laid out in detail how the issue of accountability would be tackled which is a key objection of critics of the idea.

Now, the former head of Scotland's crime fighting agency has criticised the lack of accountability and governance proposed for Scotland's new single police force.

As much as it pains me my original idea has been tweaked badly.

In my original proposal, the current Police Boards would be kept as area boards and act as a feeder to a new national board which I have to be over 20 in size, this is because my proposal was a stage one reform. As well as area and national boards, a separate Holyrood committee would be formed as an oversight committee, cross party in nature and this was my triple lock to address the issue of accountability.

The New Chief Constable would retain complete operational control; however he would be addressable regarding his decisions, thus ensuring that power given could in the light of withdrawn in the event of serious misconduct.

The Justice Secretary would have no input into the appointment of the New Chief Constable by law and also they would never be in a position to rig the national board to do so.

Graeme Pearson is a Labour MSP and former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency; he says the legislation going through Parliament to amalgamate the country's eight police forces shows a worrying lack of "open and positive public scrutiny".

He is right, by having Kenny’s 11 take over the board there has been a disastrous policy made; only recently the Scottish Government had to guarantee four councillors would serve on the new board.

That wasn’t in the legislation, so early on accountability and transparency wasn’t a primary issue until people complained.

Many people don’t like the way that centralism has taken root in the SNP Government that has created tunnel vision instead of real vision.

Les Gray, the outgoing head of the Scottish Police Federation has warned against the proposed timetable to appoint the new chief constable in January 2013 and has criticised the current lack of answers about governance and VAT.

Writing in The Herald letters page, Pearson warns the proposals for the new single police force are "undemocratic" and lacking in accountability.
He said:

"Across Scotland we have the opportunity now to deliver a proper public scrutiny of the oversight of policing at national level and accountability at the local level.

"But the SNP Government seem determined to maintain a service authority arrangement largely chosen by the minister, with a convener and chief constable reporting via civil servants to the minister before eventually Parliament's involvement. This is not a healthy situation for the future.

"A single Scottish police force will be a powerful body to be managed without an open and positive public scrutiny. What the civil servants have delivered is a model created to control and influence, particularly in relation to budget and policy. In a model maintained by, and on behalf of, government there is little encouragement to challenge wrong thinking or reveal wrong doing.

"These proposals are undemocratic, designed for the comfort of the executive at a cost in terms of parliamentary scrutiny. They are therefore debilitating to genuine accountability."

It is what it is, the truth, the Police are there to serve the people, it is a service, somewhere down the line the SNP Government has come to the conclusion that the Police is their private law enforcement body.

Like an independent judiciary is recognised as essential, an independent police service is equally critical in a democratic society because people must have faith in their police.

Look what happened in London were relations between public and police collapsed cause an ‘us and them’ situation. The damage of that open wound has never completely been healed. This are better now, but should never have gotten to that state in the first place.

Issues relating to VAT are needed to be dealt with, with answers surprisingly not forthcoming from the SNP Government, this shows that they are governing by events rather than being proactive to address problems ahead of time.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said:

"Our plans for police reform have been informed by two consultations and more than a year of regular and sustained engagement with police, ACPOS, boards, local authorities, political parties and others.

"All criminal investigations will continue to be independently directed by the Lord Advocate and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner will ensure that, where necessary, investigations of the police are carried out by an independent body.

"The Bill will follow the standard Parliamentary timetable and our plans will ensure the new Police Service of Scotland is subject to more formal and routine scrutiny by Parliament than the current eight forces. Meanwhile, the appointment of SPA members will be regulated by the Public Appointments Commissioner."

All that and they still aren’t listening.

Rather than getting the new national force set up properly and working, the Scottish Government has set up a dysfunctional body that lacks accountability and transparency.

Stage one of my national police force ideas was the creation of the body, thus allowing and preparing the ground for stage two reforms.

The national police force was a stepping stone to a major overhaul of law enforcement in Scotland, by taking a part of my idea and changing it for the worst, stage two must now be shelved as there is no point in having that debate now.

Alex Salmond says the Scottish Government doesn’t have a monopoly on wisdom, how very right he is on that score; this is what I mean by saying that although there are clever people in the SNP, there are also a lot of stupid ones being listened to.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scotland’s Nelson Mandela, Tommy Sheridan claims ‘round one’ in boxing match with NOTW, he's now punchy, Sheridan hit so hard he shit himself

2012-02-14T14:42:00.007Z

Dear All

Just out of prison and already back in Court, Scotland’s Nelson Mandela, Tommy Sheridan convicted of lying and send to prison still wants the £200k he was awarded against News International.

Unbelievable but true.

Going back to Court, Sheridan has claimed a ‘victory’ of sorts in the latest round of his seven-year epic legal battle with the News of the World.

The defunct newspaper's publisher is appealing the decision to award Mr Sheridan £200,000 in damages.

At present, Sheridan is hoping that someway he can find a technicality can claim a ‘moral’ victory and £200k for his prison stay.

The case has been on hold pending police investigations.

News Group went to Edinburgh to ask for the appeal to be reopened but three judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh refused the motion.

Sheridan's legal team hae pitched the argument that the case should remain frozen, technically called sisted until police investigations into alleged phone hacking and other practices can conclude.

If the Police discover evidence that Sheridan was hacked, he will probably try and use that to claim Article Six violation, question is, if any hacking did take place, dates will be important.

What any hacking probe cannot do however is dismiss Sheridan’s confession in front of witnesses, the videotape of him confessing and the witness he confessed to in that tape.

Sheridan no matter how much ducking and diving cannot get round that, and neither can Aamer Anwar, his lawyer.

You’re done mate!

Hope and aspiration is Sheridan’s only lifeline that an appeal court would view the any hacking as calling into question the fairness of the trial, but if you remove News International and any possible misdeeds, you are still left with witnesses and videotape.

After a short hearing at the Court of Session, Lord Clarke said:

"The appropriate course is to refuse the motion to recall the sist."

Standard judgment there hardly surprising but not as Sheridan claims a victory!

Speaking outside the court, Mr Sheridan said:

"We will wait for the outcome of that investigation and then look forward to coming back to this court to fight for the upholding of the original jury verdict in this trial."

In other words, Sheridan and Anwar want to go fishing.

Sheridan said:

“If it was a boxing match, it would be round one to us.”

Sheridan’s time in prison has left him punchy, News International won round one and the match.

Tommy Sheridan added:

"We will wait for the outcome of that investigation and then look forward to coming back to this court to fight for the upholding of the original jury verdict in this trial."

His solicitor, Aamer Anwar, said Strathclyde police were looking at allegations of phone hacking and data protection breaches in Scotland.

Anwar said:

"We expect that inquiry to take place for another several months or so. We do not know what the outcome of that investigation will be but the News of the World will simply have to wait until that investigation is completed. The shoe is on the other foot this time around. News of the World is now defunct and they are presently facing massive investigation north and south of the border."

And none of it is germane to Sheridan’s case or his guilt.

However, since his political career is dead, his party marginalised and his personal credibility not worth the paper it is written on, what has he to lose? If he pulls it off a technical knockout then it will be a classic case of pyrrhic victory!

In non legal terms, this side or the other side of this smoke and mirrors act, Tommy Sheridan is still utterly f*cked!

The sun has set on his political career.

He could try porno or pantomime.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

SNP Member George Laird asks the question, does Alex Salmond stand for fairness, equality and social justice as civil war looms in Glasgow SNP

2012-02-13T13:42:00.007Z

Dear All

The ex-Labour councillor Anne Marie Millar has called for a full-scale inquiry into her allegations she was intimidated by a former colleague during the crucial budget vote in Glasgow last week which was packed with high drama.

Despite making the allegations, repeatedly, no one from the Labour Party has been in contact with her since the incident.

This isn't unusual in political parties, especially when someone is claiming they have been victimised and discriminated against. Political parties such as Labour and the Scottish National Party prefer to bury complaints instead of taking action.

The Scottish National Party is no different than the Labour Party who shows an equally distasteful disregard to serious allegations being made their working class members.

A complaint submitted to the Scottish National Party on 5/9/2011 still hasn’t been acknowledged.

What does that say about the SNP’s claims to uphold fairness, equality and social justice?

I don’t believe at present that the Scottish National Party does stand for fairness, equality and social justice if my personal experiences are anything to go by. I want Alex Salmond to prove that the party stands for fairness, equality and social justice by ordering a full investigation in allegations made in writing and previously sent to him.

5/9/2011 not even an acknowledgment.

Alex Salmond silent.

Nicola Sturgeon silent.

Peter Murrell silent.

Ian McCann silent.

Derek Mackay silent.

As my friend says; how could these people lead Scotland to be a democratic country when they can’t defend the democracy within their own party?

I contrast my experience with SNP MP Dr. Whiteford, she makes unsubstantiated allegations against Labour MP Ian Davidson with no evidence or witnesses to back up her claim.

I; on the other hand submit a complaint based on information sent to me by someone which has been corroborated by a witness.

Dr. Whiteford, rich middle class, former employee of Alex Salmond has her complaint and the full backing of the party within hours on unsubstantiated allegations.

George Laird in the period of 5 and a half months is ignored.

Two members, same party and it is the working class person who is treated differently.

I can only conclude that if I was rich, important and middle class, I would have received the same treatment as Dr. Whiteford.

But I am not rich; I am poor, working class and Glaswegian.

Interestingly Humza Yousaf, Glasgow SNP List MSP interjected on the Labour allegations of bullying by saying:

"How can Johann Lamont hope to run the opposition when she can't even stop the civil war in her own constituency party?"

The same question might as well be put to Alex Salmond.

I am publicly calling for Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party to stand up for the working class members of his own party.

It is time to find out, is Alex Salmond willing to stand up for all of Scotland or is it limited to the rich middle class within his own party?

I think the people of Scotland should have the answer to that question: so far the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond and the senior SNP figures has been awfully silent on serious serious allegations within Glasgow SNP.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour Councillor of shame Gilbert Davidson is named as the man who allegedly threatened the employment of disabled boy at Glasgow City Council

2012-02-11T14:26:00.005Z

Dear All

As stated in the press and on tv, the Glasgow Council budget meeting was a bad tempered affair.

However, an allegation has emerged that a Labour Councillor threatened the career of a former colleague's disabled son.

It is said that Gilbert Davidson who was previously investigated for inappropriate behaviour towards another female councillor is the man at the centre of the toxic row.

At present the allegations remain unproven against the Councillor but given it is in the public domain, an investigation must now be launched by the Labour Party.

Gilbert Davidson has been accused of using his role as a City Building board member of the council-owned firm of trying to strong-arm her into voting with former colleagues in what became a battle for the party's survival in Glasgow.

Mrs Millar believes the move was a clear attempt at threatening and intimidating her ahead of the vote.

The claims sparked pledges of an investigation by Labour.

It has also led to calls for Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont to condemn the "bullying and intimidation employed by the Labour group on Glasgow City Council" and to "take disciplinary action against those responsible".

However, facts have to be established first.

Gilbert Davidson survived de-selection but is gaffe prone and in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Two years ago, he was arrested at his home after allegedly sending suggestive voice mails and text messages to former Glasgow Lord Provost Liz Cameron and asking her to share a hotel room with him during a local by-election.

The charges against the Springburn councillor, who was suspended by Labour during the investigation, were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

He walked in layman’s terms.

Following that, we had allegations he groped ex-colleague Ruth Black.

The Labour group are said to be furious with Davidson at present, and who can blame them, 12 weeks out from a vital election date and this bombshell drops on them.

6 Labour councillors have now resigned at the budget fiasco, several of those you made it through now have the added pressure that this scandal is placing on them threatening their re-election chances.

At present, the city hangs on a knife edge, Labour got a wake up.

But it made be Gilbert Davidson as the ‘grim reaper’ who has killed off many people’s election chances.

For whom the bell tolls, it tolls for Gilbert Davidson.

People won’t understand threatening the mother of someone who has a disabled son, they won’t understand at all, if proven.

Is this the moment that becomes the ‘Gillian Duffy’ moment for Labour in Glasgow when the tide turns?

To early to say, depends how Labour play this, I would imagine they have to get rid of Davidson!

‘Freedom fries’ might actually make it onto the menu of the Councillors’ canteen.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Swansea University invest in toilet education as they stick the learning process into the shitters, to create better university experience for all?

2012-02-11T13:55:00.010Z

Dear All

If you thought you have heard it all regarding higher education then check out Swansea University.

Despite needing good grades to get on courses, the university has had to introduce information on how to use the toilet properly among the student population.

I shit you not!

Angry university bosses have drawn up a series of guidelines in the correct way to do for a dump on university premises.

Although toilet training has been mastered by most of the population, this is an unusual move and another possible indication that education is dumbing down.

University bosses said they were forced to put up instructions about how to use the toilets properly after some were found in a mess as a series of complaints flooded them.

I remember one time in my youth abroad on holiday, I had the unfortunate experience to use a toilet in a Belgium train station, as I was ‘cracking out a log’ I happened to glance at the ceiling as you do. To my horror, someone had slapped a turd to the ceiling above my head like the sword of Damocles earlier on in the day.

Needless to say, I sweated out that session and left the cubicle like someone who had discovered a massive explosive device (IED).

Phew that was close!

Anyway in explaining their decision, they blamed 'cultural differences' in the way the toilets are used by foreign students.

And they added some of whom are used to the 'squat toilets' common in parts of Asia and Europe.

Otherwise known as a hole in the floor!

A university spokeswoman said:

“The posters were produced to help address cultural differences that were unfortunately causing damage and hygiene issues. Swansea University is a multi-cultural campus community, and the informational posters were produced for use in both male and female facilities. The information was produced in conjunction with the International College Wales Swansea and displayed in key areas around the campus. Since the inception of these posters, the situation has greatly improved in the affected areas.”

Learning outcome, how to shit 101.

I wonder if anyone got any credits?

Naturally the posters have sparked student outrage among the 18,000 population.

Law student Stephanie Preedy, said:

“We all needed good A-levels to get into university, yet they don’t think we know how to use a toilet? It’s ridiculous and quite belittling.”

Hannah Prosser, a third year English student said:

“Most of us found the posters quite funny until we realised it wasn’t meant as a joke.”

At present the university feel the problem can be deal with by way of posters, no plans to produce a series of videos are in the ‘pipeline’.

Three times in my life have I come across a truly awful situation re: number two’s, once in Belgium, once at the Commonwealth Pool and once in the library. At the pool someone had shit on the floor completely missing the target and at the library someone shit in the urinal.

The problem will continue until scientists find a way to deal with the problem of organic creatures producing waste products out of their tailpipe!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

High drama in Glasgow as Glasgow Labour Council get their budget passed as Labour rebels resign and rainbow budget coalition emerges

2012-02-10T13:24:00.003Z

Dear All

When the Labour Party opted for their ‘night of the long butter knives’, deselecting 20 Labour Councillors of shame, they must have known they were taking a gamble.

For record, the process saw some people kicked out unfairly and others who should have been binned years ago.

So, we have an unhappy band of ex Labourites.

They wanted ‘payback’ and yesterday was budget, and it was apparent that Labour didn’t factor in unhappiness on their own backbenches.

So, the budget meeting ended up in a battle as opposition parties and ‘angry’ Labour joined to present opposition budget.

It was a bitter political battle to control Glasgow from start to finish and a wake up call that if Labour fails to get majority then opposition might go the way of rainbow coalition.

Heart of Labour’s fiefdom, ‘the Mordor’ of the West of Scotland is under threat.

The vote ended 40-38, a fight to the finish won on a knife-edge.

Amid angry exchanges and claims of backroom bullying, the ruling Labour group squeezed through its spending plans.

Sitting up in the rafts Tom McCabe, ex minister must have watched in horror as an easy win became something much more serious.

Labour has taken a gamble with its cull and newbies.

Historically they have held the city for decades, people haven’t known an alternative, they have their track record to fall back on which in part is good but other aspects are less so.

One of the Labour rebels, Anne Marie Millar, later was to claim the future of her own son’s apprenticeship was raised by one Labour councillor as he sought to convince her to back the budget.

Whoever that was, made a huge mistake, family in politics is off limits, civilians aren’t included in the fight.

Despite the quiet word, she continued to vote against the budget plans, but said that she had felt “intimidated and bullied”.

After the meeting Councillor Gordon ‘free dinners’ Matheson, the Labour leader of the council looked clearly rattled in front of the television cameras as he came out of fighting for his political life.

It was like looking at a man who has been clipped by a car and realising that it would have been much worse.

For the cameras it was a show of expressing delight last night.

But, Labour privately cannot be delighted; the alarms must surely be going off, long and loud.

At present we have a phoney war 12 weeks out with parties working low key campaigns at present, but sooner or later that will flare up into open warfare.

Expect a hugely nasty tough fight in the offing.

People who quit the Labour Group Pollok councillor Tommy Morrison, he said:

“it’s the start of the death throes” of the city council administration.

I wouldn’t analyse it as that, but it was significant event.

In total, seven former Labour councillors decided to oppose the budget yesterday. They are now ‘toast’ never to be selected again for public office. However they may stand as independents.

As I say yesterday was significant but other than scoring a moral victory for the opposition, not much else can be taken from it.

Down the Labour HQ, there will be a lot of soul searching and head scratching, and plenty of overtime into the wee small hours.

Glasgow is a gateway city; whoever controls Glasgow holds a lot of sway.

The city is under siege; the public has to work out between now and polling day, exactly who are ‘the allies’ in this scenario.

And who they can trust!

Will Labour Councillors after May be asking for 'chips' in the members canteen or 'freedom fries'?

I don't know, I am just asking the question!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Donald Trump accuses Alex Salmond of 'destroying coastline' with wind plans, Trump says worst event in Scottish history, is he just plain bonkers?

2012-02-09T16:36:00.005Z

Dear All

When Donald Trump popped up with his idea of a golf course up north, I thought it was worthwhile to hear his proposal out.

The project had all the hallmarks politicians look for, investment, jobs and add value to local community.

But it wasn’t all sweetness and light, Trump is arrogant and used to getting his own way, rich people sometimes are, everyone round Trump jumps when he speaks who works for him.

US tycoon Donald Trump has accused First Minister Alex Salmond of seeming "hell bent on destroying Scotland's coastline" with wind power.

I have blogged on Trump before over the golf project, pretty much saying the Scottish Government should support the people he wants to kick off their land.

His attack on Alex Salmond over wind power is bizarre, Alex Salmond runs the Scottish Government not for his benefit.

So, although Trump, who objects to plans for a wind farm near his Scottish golf resort and says he would not be on board, no one asking him for his approval.

He has written to Mr Salmond saying:

"You will single-handedly have done more damage to Scotland than virtually any event in Scottish history."

Patently his knowledge of Scottish history must be pretty weak if he thinks a few blades whizzing around is the worst that has happened to Scotland.

Mr Trump added of his objection:

"I am doing this to save Scotland."

Oh piss off!

Trump’s problem is the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre which is a £150m venture by Vattenfall, Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. We have to see if this technology is viable which means it has to be scaled up. Green energy has a long way to go so sites must be used to test effectiveness.

Mr Trump also writes in his letter:

"Taxing your citizens to subsidise wind projects owned by foreign energy companies will destroy your country and its economy. Jobs will not be created in Scotland because these ugly
monstrosities known as turbines are manufactured in other countries such as China. These countries are laughing at you."

He said of the future:

"You will be long gone, but the people of Scotland will forever suffer. I have just authorised my staff to allocate a substantial sum of money to launch an international campaign to fight your plan to surround Scotland's coast with many thousands of wind turbines. It will be
like looking through the bars of a prison and the Scottish citizens will be the prisoners. Luckily, tourists will not suffer because there will be none as they will be going to other countries that had the foresight to use other forms of energy."

If this is his argument, I don’t think it will hold any sway, because it is based on a simple idea, ‘I don’t like it’.

If he is going to trot in the door to Alex Salmond’s office then surely a better proposal or alternative site should have been included in any objection.

I don’t think attacking Alex Salmond on this issue holds much water or even hot air.

And sucking up to this clown only makes him cheeky.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour Councillor Stephen Dornan jumps ship from Glasgow Labour Party over unfairness and bias of party selection process

2012-02-09T16:09:00.003Z

Dear Comrades

This is to inform you of my decision to resign from the Labour Party. A resignation letter has been sent to the general secretary of the party.

This decision has been prompted by the action of the central Labour Party in stopping the Govan Labour Party from exercising its democratic right to choose its own candidates for election in May 2012.

This action, taken under the influence of party officials from London, makes no sense in terms of my performance in the Council, where I have and continue to take decisive action to improve the life of Glasgow's people. Nor is it sensible given my strong track record of building my own and the Labour Party's vote in Govan.

The initial reason provided for the refusal to allow the Govan Labour Party a voice on my candidacy suggested that my performance in community engagement was weak.

My track record locally, even before my initial election - in tenants associations, community councils, voluntary food co-ops, debt counselling and local youth groups - clearly demonstrated that this justification was concocted.

At my appeal I was strongly supported by a community councillor; a community group representative; and the local MP Ian Davidson. These voices of community representation were ignored.

I believe that the decision to prevent my candidacy was taken under the dual influence of London officials who, as usual, think that they know best what the people of Govan and Glasgow need; and by cliques within the Labour Party in Glasgow who sought to make space for the followers of the Party's dynasties but knew that leaving the choice in the hands of local parties would not deliver the required result.

The current complaint to the Standards Commissioner over the alleged use of public positions to influence the Labour Party selection processes is a prime example.

I know that many of you share my concerns that the national Labour Party has distanced itself from its socailist principles at a time when these are needed more than ever.

I would like to thank comrades for their support and advice throughout the years. My values have not changed and I look forward to working with you in the interests of Glasgow and its people.

I remain and will always be a strong supporter of the labour movement.

Your sincerely

Stephen Dornan

Open letter to Winston, how is Alex Salmond going to make Scotland a democratic country when he cannot even defend democracy in his own party?

2012-02-09T15:01:00.010Z

Dear Winston

“This is quite an unusual situation for me George. Defending the SNP against an SNP man lol”.

Let me give you a frank appraisal of the SNP from my experiences.

The Scottish National Party is like a middle class golf club, anyone wishing to enter the ‘club’ must have a membership card to gain access, branch meetings, GRA meetings, special events and conferences etc.

However only certain members are allowed to access the facilities and are treated properly.

Those who aren’t part of the 'clique' get lesser unequal treatment.

Some examples in no order of preference:

At an SNP activism day, working with SNP Group leader Allison Hunter, SNP Candidate Chris Stephens and SNP Organiser Richard Bache, Mr. Bache asked if I was okay to get home from the start point. Then Allision Hunter, Chris Stephens and him jumped into a car and sped off with a spare seat in the car, back along the long road I had to walk along.

Opinion please if that is an example of leadership from the woman who is supposed to be seen by some a great team leader?

Another incident is the failure of former SNP MSP Anne Mclaughlin to take up the constituency case of a 70 year old elderly Catholic pensioner who had heart and lung problems. I personally put the case into Anne Mclaughlin’s own hands. A month later she hadn’t contacted the woman, so I spoke to her again at another SNP event to remind her, she said how her staff work very hard blah blah blah.

The upshot of this was that the 70 year old elderly Catholic pensioner who had heart and lung problems never got contacted despite Anne McLaughlin publicly stating on her website that she and her staff deal with all cases.

Opinion please if that is an example of leadership from the woman who is supposed to be seen by some as a great MSP?

The next incident I am only going to skim, information was sent to me that I was the victim of an alleged SNP smear campaign and that information was corroborated by a third party in writing.

These are three examples, however there are others, the point I wish to express is how as a working class SNP member, I was treated like a cunt by them.

I am still waiting for Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, Derek Mackay and Ian McCann, all senior SNP to deal with my complaint of an alleged organised SNP smear campaign.

Opinion please is that is an example of leadership from Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, Derek Mackay and Ian McCann, all senior SNP?

My friend put it in these terms, if Alex Salmond cannot defend the democracy in his own party, how is going to sell the idea of Scotland as an independent democracy?

“I've never been in a political party and usually vote for independent candidates”.

Well, I would say that you should look closely at parties and also closely at candidates and what they stand for.

“I don't understand why you can't see that a country should have it's own broadcaster”.

In the case of Scotland, broadcasting is a reserved issue, I believe a country should have its own broadcasting if independent; we have no disagreement on that.

“Would France allow it's broadcasting to be run by Germany?”

We are in a global economy so lots of infrastructure isn’t own by purely Scottish or British people.

“Scotland pays in about £400m a year in tv tax and gets back a tiny speck of this amount in Scottish broadcasting. The BBC will go around the world to cover the Delhi Games but would never cover the Glasgow Games”.

I would agree that those are valid points of argument and such arguments must continually be made.

“The £400m tv tax would easily provide a good service for Scotland. Complemented by Sky, RTL etc. Or better still, all subscription. I'm happy for the BBC to go away or give us pay per view. STV provides a perfectly good news service and would be able to offer a world news service if the BBC left the field”.

I think that is an argument ahead of its time, until Scotland becomes independent, then the issue can become live, at present in the current set up, it isn’t the right time and the rugby issue was handled badly by the SNP.

Lots of clever people in the SNP but lots of stupid ones as well, unfortunately some of the stupid ones are in positions of power. The correct tack on the rugby issue was to accept the radio offer, thereby setting a precedent which could be used to highlight unfairness. That didn’t happen and now the SNP have painted themselves into a corner, they have forced the BBC to review all Alex Salmond appearances at any event.

About me:

4th September 2010, I proposed the Scottish National Police Force in Perth.

4th September 2010, I proposed the Scottish National Fire Service in Perth.

I gave a talk about social media, sitting there at the Pollok branch was Kirk J Torrance, ordinary who went on to give a presentation to the SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell on use of social media and was given a job.

I was told by a senior SNP person that in his opinion, I was the hardest working SNP Activist he had ever worked with.

My ‘reward’ by the Scottish National Party ‘golf club’ was to be treated like a cunt by them.

They are smart enough to use my ideas just not smart enough to have them in the first place. I haven’t given them my local government reforms ideas recently, and if you check you will find out that SNP Group leader Allison Hunter publicly stated:

“I haven’t thought about that yet. Actually, I’m not an out-there leader. I’m a team leader. So we haven’t actually thought about that yet.”

The same Allison Hunter who said to me at Westminster 2010 Glasgow Count when I made a joke about 'don’t I do enough for the party' replied:

‘Don’t give me any of your fucking crap; I have been up for the last three days working from 8 am to midnight’.

I let that slide because I was under orders not to cause trouble at the count.

Treated like a cunt Winston!

That is why I am not surprised that hardly any Glaswegians wish to come out and be an SNP Activist for the Scottish National Party.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

BBC Boss Mark Thompson admits the injustice that the BBC got it wrong on older women as presenters; bring back Moira Stuart to 10 O’clock news!

2012-02-09T14:30:00.006Z

Dear All

Awhile ago, the BBC made in my opinion a massive blunder, older presenters such as Moira Stuart were replaced for no good reason other than they were old.

Out with the old and in with the new, except the ‘new’ wasn't as good.

Now, BBC director-general Mark Thompson has admitted there are not enough older women on television.

People like Moira Stuart are not just presenters; they are national icons much in the same way as legendary people such as Robin Day.

Age discrimination is wrong; it was only later on that the BBC admitted they made a massive mistake.

But the damage had been done.

As a national broadcaster the BBC doesn’t always get it right, mistakes are made but while there is a process it doesn’t mean that justice gets done or is seen to be done.

Television is about ratings; new people break through because they have generally talent, what people such as Moira Stuart brings to television is gravitas.

This is something which is massively understated in BBC thinking.

Mark Thompson says a ‘thoughtful critic’ of the BBC might ‘make two searching points’:

‘First, that there is an underlying problem, that – whatever the individual success stories – there are manifestly too few older women broadcasting on the BBC, especially in iconic roles and on iconic topical programmes.

‘Second that, as the national broadcaster and one which is paid for by the public, the BBC is in a different class from everyone else, and that the public have every right to expect it to deliver to a higher standard of fairness and open-mindedness in its treatment both of its broadcasters and its audiences.’

Good points.

If the BBC was to stick Moira Stuart back on prime time news, it would be a step in the right direction and a clear signal of a see change, it would probably take a bit of persuading given she was very badly treated, but the BBC should swallow it’s pride.

In recent years, respected figures such as Anna Ford, Selina Scott, Kate Adie, Dame Joan Bakewell and many others have spoken out about their concerns over the treatment of older women by all broadcasters.

Trouble is this should have been coming from the top downwards, which calls into question ethics and balance of those appointed as governors.

Although the problem is acknowledged, the BBC shouldn’t get sucked up by an agenda that revolves around positive discrimination.

It is all about merit that is how Moira Stuart was selected in the past; she was good enough and quickly established herself as such.

Mr Thompson points to a survey, called Serving All Ages, which he commissioned in his role as chairman of the industry body Creative Diversity Network.

It revealed, he says, that a significant minority – not just females – felt older women were ‘invisible’ on air.

The BBC should reflect society in all aspects, but anyone before the cameras must be there because they are good.

By acting in the way it has the BBC has let itself slip, because someone who should have been watching out for what is unfairness and injustice couldn’t be bothered.

Mark Thompson highlights the BBC1 daytime show Rip Off Britain which is presented by Angela Rippon, Julia Somerville and Gloria Hunniford as an example of how ‘great female talent’ has been brought back to the BBC.

If I was someone at the BBC I would ask to see Moira Stuart and offer her the 10 O’clock news, I would go armed to teeth with previous recordings of the news and make the case; the BBC needs her.

She might turn that down flat which is understandable because no one was there to back her up in the past.

But I would make an appointment for same time next week to try again.

People talk about the greats but the BBC should be trampling down the door to people like Moira Stuart.

She is simply one of the most talented presenters ever to grace the screens of the BBC.

And you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know where she belongs.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Finance Secretary John Swinney bids to secure support for Scottish budget by way of consensus with opposition parties, local gov reform needs to start

2012-02-08T15:35:00.004Z

Dear All

A week after the Scottish Holyrood, I bumped into Nicola Sturgeon in the street, one of the things we talked about was the need for the Scottish Government to continue with the consensus approach that serve them so well in the last term of office, she thought that it was very much the way to go.

Then the bill for sectarianism was brought forward which all opposition parties rightly opposed as bad law.

The consensus approach was abandoned as this ill judged piece of rubbish was pushed through to meet a football start deadline.

It wasn’t the SNP’s finest hour.

However, I am pleased that Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has decided to return to the consensus approach by offering last minute changes to his budget in an effort to secure opposition support.

He doesn’t need their votes but that isn’t the point, the budget is about allowing other views by parties to get something from the process for areas they express interest in.

I don’t know if Labour will support the budget as previously they asked for concessions, got them and still voted against the budget.

Sheer stupidity, it made a mockery of them entering negotiations in the first place.

The government's £30bn spending plans will be passed by parliament.

So, what do we need, well additional money for colleges is a key item for me, education needs major overhaul, college sector needs expanding and universities slimmed down to address the financial black hole.

Other desirable areas possibly benefiting are housing and sustainable transport - which have emerged as key issues in talks.

John Swinney’s spending plans will deliver 25,000 apprenticeships, protect NHS spending and fund vital construction projects.

And it is wrong by opposition parties to say that they are concerned the budget fails to support the economy.

The detail is there, John Swinney has proven himself to be excellent as the Scottish Finance Secretary.

The claim by Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems that the proposals do not do enough to address unemployment is bogus, he is spending to support jobs.

As I say, I am keen to have a reversing £70m of cuts to college funding by 2015 but it isn’t a straightforward issue, the budget is like a supertanker, it can’t stop on a dime, John Swinney says that idea is still "under consideration and discussion".

But it is tricky, he might be able to pull it off, but reality is that unless the major work in reform is started, his options are unnecessarily restricted.

He has to work round things that badly need reformed.

The second term of Holyrood should have been about local government reform; that essential work seems to have been shelved.

Labour finance spokesman Ken Macintosh said the Scottish government was passing on Westminster Tory cuts, while trying to escape the blame for them.

Nice of Ken Macintosh to stick the blame where it belongs!

Macintosh said:

"The truth is that it is their spending decisions that are cutting budgets for colleges, housing and local government services. With the economic case for separation unravelling by the day, the SNP government is showing they are unable to effectively use the powers they do have to help Scotland in these hard times."

Crap.

The Lib Dems' education spokesman, Liam McArthur, urged the government to heed calls on reversing college cuts.

He said:

"At a time when Scotland's unemployment rate is rising faster the elsewhere in the UK, and youth unemployment is seen as a priority, this attack by the SNP on colleges defies understanding. Colleges help people of all ages, in all parts of the country to get up and get on."

This problem could be part solved by breaking up the Scottish Funding Council into two distinct and separate identities but there is more to it.

The Tories' Liz Smith, said:

"It is simply staggering that, at a time, when there are no fewer than 88,000 young people aged 18-24 unemployed in Scotland, the college sector is being asked to cope with cuts of 8.5% in teaching grants on top of the all the cuts they suffered last year. The SNP have lost all credibility in this debate - on one hand they promise flagship policies to help young people find work, but then on the other they are carrying out severe cuts to the college sector."

Ideas have their place in time, and for the SNP, it is time to move on my idea for colleges.

On Thursday, John Swinney is due to set out the funding deal for Scotland's 32 councils that budget will pass, the SNP majority secures that, but there is only so much money floating about the place.

That means local government reform, this is the Eiger that must be climbed; the task is huge and only climbable straight up the ‘north face’, this project maybe shelved until after the referendum in 2014.

After 2014, the SNP Government like an army will have used up its ‘reserves’ and at that point, change whether they like it or not will be forced on them.

John Swinney is a brilliant Scottish Finance Secretary but even he needs the tools of his trade to do the business and the business is the liquidity problems!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Poster takes George Laird to task over Scottish Six News, why isn’t the SNP Government campaigning for a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation?

2012-02-08T14:41:00.006Z

Dear Winston

“I think you're a bit deluded George if you think the BBC is impartial”.

I think you are deluded if you think the SNP are on this issue too, can you tell me has there been a great public groundswell for a Scottish Six?

The answer is no!

Publicly, it is a non issue to voters.

“It offers no alternative voice to it's pro Union, pro EU, pro global warming being real nonsense etc...”.

To address that point, does the BBC not allow people like Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and other senior SNP figures to express their views?

And aren’t you aware that presenters are under a code of conduct not to show bias while on air, however Glenn Campbell is a complete asshole to be fair.

So, your complaint actually is that you don’t like the content of editorial decisions, if the SNP had responsibility for broadcasting, law would oblige it to not interfere, so that point doesn’t float with me.

“It's ideology means you only ever hear half of the argument because it doesn't think the alternative argument is valid”.

That is not true; you only have to watch programmes like Newsnight Scotland with Gordon Brewer to see that parties such as the SNP do get to put the alternative argument on a regular basis and effectively.

That is why in part that the SNP won the Holyrood 2011 election.

“Oh and you got the idea behind the Scottish 6 o'clock news wrong.
It was never about man buys dog in inverness. It was a world news programme and how this may effect Scotland. A bit like you would get in Luxembourg / bahrain etc where they do a world news programme and how it effects them”.

Let us be clear, this is the British Broadcasting Corporation, it has to reflect sensibilities of the United Kingdom.

“At the moment we get English health news, English justice news etc with some English cricket and some English football thrown in. Sometimes we get 15 seconds of Scottish football ( Rangers v Utd the other night on BBC One at 6 - I timed it )”.

How much English news does Reporting Scotland report in the nightly 30 minute bulletin? So, your issue has been addressed by the BBC as the allow regional programme to reflect local content.

“I'm honestly surprised if you haven't seen any of the splicing of Alex salmond to make him look bad. Ditto with John Swinney and even Ally Mcoist.
At least Rangers ( a team I normally can't stand ) had the cojones to tell the BBC to get lost. This impertinence has meant Rangers are now open season for BBC Scotland. Especially for the sweetie wives on Off the Ball etc”.

If a politician gets taken to task such as Alex Salmond, he can deal with it, he handles his interviews extremely well, because he is always well prepared, when was the last time the BBC got the better of him in an interview? He floors them every time from what I have seen of his performances.

However, recently SNP list MSP Bob Doris went on Newsnight Scotland and got ass raped by Gordon Brewer who openly mocked him for trying to pass off subjective opinion as fact. He thought he got the better of Jackie Baillie by waving his arms about and sounding like a complete loon.

Isn't the BBC entitled to take apart an arsehole even an SNP one?

Bob Doris shouldn’t be put in front of an audience; he is no Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon or Alex Neil.

And what is the deal of sticking his arms up in a tv interview and waving them about? Check him out on youtube sounds like a right wank on camera.

Doesn't he realise sticking both arms up is completely bad body language!

Also I don’t think your argument washes because there are programmes like Reporting Scotland and Newsnight Scotland coupled with other programming that tackles specific Scottish events and concerns.

When I listen to the news I want the news to reflect the content of the news itself, tacking on a Scottish dynamic really doesn’t matter.

The Scottish Six isn’t about creating a world news programme, it’s about shutting out England, its about division, its about control and manipulating the news to fit a purely Scottish agenda coming from Holyrood.

Independence is all about Scotland coming out as mature country to join the world nations, looking provincial and inward looking doesn’t achieve that.

I believe in Scottish independence; however that doesn’t mean because I am an SNP member and Glaswegian that I am blindly going to sign up to any old shite coming down the pipeline from the SNP and the Scottish Government.

In case you missed the news, the only two bills worth a toss by the SNP Government are the Scottish National Police Force Bill and the Scottish National Fire Service.

Both of those ideas were proposed by me on the 4th September 2010 at the SNP National Assembly in Perth.

Naturally, I had packed diet coke and ham sandwiches for the trip, a bit of news there on nutrition from a purely Scottish perspective.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Open letter to SNP list MSP Joan McAlpine: ‘rise up and be an MSP’, because your knees must be killing you toadying and grovelling!

2012-02-07T14:07:00.015Z

Dear Joan

I think I have to take you to task for your propaganda piece in the Scotsman.

So, let’s get started you state:

“The corporation’s decision to kick Alex Salmond into touch raises questions about its ability to cover Scottish affairs properly”.

Why did you feel the need to try and create an impression that Alex Salmond was somehow the victim of some type of emotional violence?

You started the piece off to convey the impression of Alex Salmond as a victim, as his ‘in house’ propagandist, this is a very crude piece of writing.

Then you really blow your argument by doing a bit of classic clumsy oily toadying up to your Scotsman editor doing a pathetic ‘nodding dug’ act because he happens to fit your agenda.

“Editing a newspaper these days is probably the definition of executive multi-tasking. You need a business brain as well as a nose for news, an understanding of the bottom line as well as the snappy headline. If an editor finds time to practise his old trade, you know the subject must be important”.

Sucking up to everyone is the road to contempt by others, and using the 'he's really bright so I must be too because I recognise it' pitch should have sent alarm bells ringing in your head along the lines of 'danger Will Robinson danger'. Sadly it didn't hence you plough on and under.

Let’s turn to former BBC trustee Jeremy Peat, who you say stated:

“we should pay attention. Mr Peat had argued in these pages that more thought should be given to how Scottish news and current affairs is covered by the BBC.”

Haven't you heard of Reporting Scotland?

It is on every week day night! You also have the main BBC news programme which gives a balanced view of UK and international news.

As to your “Scottish Six O’Clock News”, does combining both Reporting Scotland and main BBC news into one programme create better news?

The answer is no!

Let me repeat that again, the answer is no!

If you are over concerned then why not petition for a transition link to make both programmes appear seamless.

Why do I like the current BBC set up?

Because it isn’t overloaded with provincial news, some of us what to know what happens outside Scotland!

My version of a Scottish Six bulletin:

‘And here is the Scottish news. Alex Salmond today opened a cake factory where he was presented with a selection of cakes to take up the road, in local news Mrs Smith has lost her brolley on the number 62 bus, she described it as black in colour with a black handle, all information to Strathclyde Police. In sport, Pollok FC has appointed a new groundskeeper who has called for action on littering in Sports ground. He has delivered a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for government action. A Scottish Government spokesperson said, we have been working very hard behind the scenes because we recognise the importance of a clean stadium and are working with partner agencies such as the Police to combat this problem’.

‘And finally; the weather it’s cold wet and miserable!’

Yes, the prospect of provincial news fills me with dread, rather like catching a segment of River City by accident and wanting to cut both your wrists because of the acting. I am still waiting for the episode where the nuclear power station gets hit by a plane as the biggest earthquake in Scottish history happens and terrorists takes over the gaff and a tribe of cannibals eat everyone and then there is a massive nuclear explosion at the end.

Sadly I wait in vain.

"A senior BBC insider told me recently that the “Scottish Six” was still “not on the table”.

Presumably because Scotland doesn’t generate enough news of a high enough quality to make it viable!

Your point:

“Recently, two separate BBC figures have told me of conversations with senior executives who dismissed demands for better resources in Scotland on demographic grounds, arguing that there were more people in north west England than in Scotland. There was contempt for the concept of this country as a nation”.

The BBC is a national broadcaster for all of Britain. It isn’t called the Scottish Broadcasting Corporation in Scotland is it!

And here is a cracker from you which you have pinned to the mast:

“I hope Lord Patten was informed of the words of the great Welsh writer, Raymond Williams, who coined the phrase “metropolitan parochialism”. Williams observed that where power is excessively concentrated, the powerful often forget every reality but their own”.

Try walking down the corridor to Mike Russell’s Office to tell him that on regional mergers of colleges!

So, your piece is really about this:

“the odd decision to withdraw an invitation to the First Minister to appear on a sports panel in advance of the Scotland-England Six Nations rugby game”.

The BBC was wrong to withdraw Alex Salmond’s invitation but by the same token do you think it is right that we all should be subject to this continual whinging about a stupid game played on a piece of grass?

As a junior sidekick to the First Minister, you would serve him better if you told him that this is an issue that should be dropped.

Why?

Because it looks what it is petty!

Whether you like it or not, the BBC is off limits, you aren’t parking your tanks on their lawn and it’s their ball.

Your other point that:

“the group is to be chaired by the BBC Scotland controller Ken MacQuarrie and includes Mr Boothman, a controversial figure because of his past links to the Labour Party, and also the head of UK news in London”.

What about the unofficial policy of some MSPs such as yourself employing people with links in the SNP?

You are claiming cronyism aren’t you?

Didn't you employ someone married to a SNP MSP; who is closely linked to Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon who smeared an innocent man by making false allegations?

If you are going to call the kettle black should you get your own house in order first, and is it not being abit hypocritical that Scottish Government hasn’t tackled this problem on its own doorstep?

If you're going to throw shit make sure your own smells sweet.

“If we are to have a referendum that is a straight choice between the status quo and independence, then you cannot have the topic discussed in the traditional, UK four-party set-up – it should be balanced for and against. But how can the BBC really pull this off when the vast bulk of its political reporters and producers have all their contacts in a Westminster village dominated by anti-independence parties? This is reflected in the language used in coverage. If a supposedly impartial BBC reporter spoke of the “struggle for Scotland’s freedom” there would be, quite rightly, an outcry. Why then is it acceptable for them to use the equally loaded term “separation”?”

Who’s fault is it that there is a lack of Scottish SNP MPs at Westminster?

Have a guess, no, let me tell you, it’s ours, that’s right, the Scottish National Party’s fault. Our fault we didn’t get more elected and our fault we aren’t networking more effectively with the press there.

Perhaps if SNP MPs were to comment on English issues in the chamber of the House of Commons we would appear more credible.

Our 'little Scotland' approach makes us look bad. It was the wrong policy to adopt and it is the wrong policy to continue with, if we are so clever why aren’t we showing our English cousins how the Scottish Government has changed Scotland by engaging in these debates?

That makes us credible, not refusing to turn up because it is an English only matter.

“Independence is about joining in – being part of the family of nations, enjoying an equal relationship with our other partners on these islands. Independence is a neutral term and that’s the one that should be used. Lord Patten should also be left in no doubt that the cuts to current affairs coverage in Scotland are unacceptable”.

That is pure crap as our policy in Westminster so clearly shows.

“For Radio Scotland’s budget to be slashed, with quality programmes such as Newsweek and Janice Forsyth axed while Radio Four is protected as a “jewel in the crown” is not just metropolitan parochialism – it is downright arrogance”.

Shite!

You are a clever writer, I will give you that, but jumping on the bandwagon over a rugby game is nonsense, you have already got a publicly unelected list seat at Holyrood, rise up and be an MSP, because your knees must be killing you toadying and grovelling.

You haven't scored a 'try', you are just trying!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scottish Government takes the wrong road on higher education funding as cuts 'risks quality of colleges' and less places for the disadvantaged

2012-02-07T12:21:00.006Z

Dear All

The Scottish Government is wrong in its approach to higher education, so with that statement in mind, off we go with this post.

Higher education and education generally is vital to the success of any developing country.

Education is a human right; we all see the value of it, it is a self evident truth.

However, there is a problem, the current three tier set up is unworkable, out dated and in need of major overhaul.

Education from school to college to university is based on a crumbling ineffective system that creates a financial black hole.

In short, it is rubbish.

But, in chaos lies opportunity, politicians talk constantly about ‘change’ but the question is change to what.

I would like to return to a theme I have been blogging about for sometime, reform of education and in particular higher education.

Out with the old three tier system and in with the development of a brand new four tier system.

School, community college, college and university!

Revenue streams must be developed by councils to increase liquidity.

That is why I propose community colleges, run at schools teaching various subjects and activities to develop revenue and community cohesion.

In order to replace the old system, the Scottish Funding Council must be split as there is heavy bias towards universities; we need Scottish Funding Council (universities) and Scottish Funding Council (colleges).

Universities need to be slimmed down, closure isn’t an option for political reasons and mergers floated by the SNP Government were not a helpful suggestion by any means.

The college sector on the other hand needs more funding not less, it is cheaper to educate at college than at university. That is why a slimmed down university sector must transfer courses and departments into the college sector.

This is an opportunity to increase students and protect budgets.

Then as I mention previously community colleges, community colleges would be an new radical idea for Scotland, these colleges would be operated in an open university style type basis using schools.

So, the traditional education approach is to segregate children from adults, under my scheme, entire families could be taught in the same class in subjects such as languages, more than just a sales pitch.
Another aspect of community colleges is that it as I previously mentioned is that it creates revenue for councils by maximising council usage of available resources.

At present, the old current system is being ‘patched’ up by the Scottish Education Sec Mike Russell. There is nothing radical happening other than cuts to College budgets!

Colleges have had funding cut which means that more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are losing out.

What is the point of ‘free’ education when you can’t get a place?

And as we have seen young people from disadvantaged backgrounds being frozen out has increased, this is a proven fact. Everyone talks about how they are ‘working hard’ to solve that problem but that is.

BULLSHIT!

So; as to the Scottish Government’s plan of a series of regional mergers.

This is wrong, it restricts diversity in the sector and ‘the market’ shouldn’t have that heavy burden placed upon them.

The current idea seems to merge everything, where as the Scottish National Police Force idea which I proposed at the SNP National Assembly on the 4Th September 2010 was the right idea for the right time. The regional mergers aren’t the right idea at anytime; it is an idea that should be halted.

There is nothing clever or sophisticated about this idea, it is clumsy and ill judged.

College staff are already bracing themselves for a wave of job cuts as the Scottish Government presses ahead with this disastrous plan.

Colleges don’t want this but are being forced into it.

Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, believes significant sums can be saved by rationalising provision, offsetting the current cuts.

Bottom line, since he is talking money, courses will be cut and student numbers will be cut.

And we should be trying to grow the market.

Another aspect overlooked is that in this attempt to do college on the cheap, it will lead to problems with larger class sizes, reduced teaching time and greater staff workload.

Quality and standards will drop like a stone.

David Belsey, national officer for further education for the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union, said:

"Last year, the SFC reduced the number of hours colleges need to teach full-time students and the sector saw a thousand workers leave. These funding cuts will cause more redundancies and further undermine colleges' ability to deliver the education needed for increasing numbers of unemployed people. The EIS is concerned at the continued slashing of college funding, and fears that a whole generation of students and staff may suffer as a result."

John Henderson, chief executive of Scotland's Colleges, which represents principals, said:

"Colleges worked hard in the last year to become as efficient as they can, to maintain teaching activity at the same level despite funding cuts, and prevent there being an impact on their students. As the amount of teaching funding available to colleges is squeezed over the next three years, there will be risks to the sector's ability to maintain both excellence and breadth."

Robin Parker, president of NUS Scotland:

"We're very concerned that cuts to colleges could mean cuts to the quality of college education. We know already that cuts have led to fewer courses, less contact time and larger classes”.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said:

"We believe the funding allocated to our colleges will protect quality of teaching and maintain provision."

I wonder if this is Liz Lloyd who was appointed a ‘special’ advisor for the Scottish Government.

Because, it is painful obvious whoever this is, is talking a load of wank!

The mouth maybe moving but no original thought comes out.

We need radical overhaul of education right across the board, the status quo to protect vested interests must be addressed.

So, what 'learning outcome' has the Scottish Government achieved in this shambolic episode?

They f*cked that up!

Education isn't seen as a flagship SNP policy by any means, their 'one trick pony' is free higher education and the poor is being frozen out of that.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Support for indy slips, Glasgow SNP Cllr Candidates, ‘they may take our lives but they will never take our policies’, might help to have one!

2012-02-06T14:07:00.021Z

Dear All

Think of a pop star, a film star and a sporting hero.

Everyone who makes it has their 15 minutes of fame, which sometimes can stretch.

Being popular is great, why wouldn’t it be, everyone likes to be well thought off.

But there are dangers in being populist especially in politics, the only way to tackle that ebb and flow of ‘the Atlantic tide’ is to be seen as competent!

That is far more important in my opinion than chasing the popular vote backed up with no policies, trying to be all things to all men generally turns out to be relevant to none.

Support for Scottish independence has slipped in recent months.

This isn’t surprising in fact I have been saying this for sometime within Glasgow SNP, however the Scottish National Party are saying that the tide is turning in their favour.

George Laird was right again as events unfold.

Alex Salmond even has problems even trying to persuade one of his hard core activists to come out and sell his message at the Glasgow Council election.

As to the new poll by TNS-BMRB, support for independence is 35%.

44% would vote No!

21% remain undecided.

This study runs contrary to the claim by SNP strategists. There was much hype by the SNP about the vast influx of ‘new’ members to the party but I didn't see this as momentum, no matter how it was parceled up, this was because there was a co-ordinated campaign to make this public.

As a media strategy however it was all good bread and butter standard stuff.

But politics is about two things, illusion and reality.

Illusion sells your story but reality keeps you in power.

Support for the Union up by six points because there is a lack of substance floating about the place.

And before anyone gets upset, let us remember the words of SNP leader Allison Hunter on the reality of substance regarding policies:

“I haven’t thought about that yet. Actually, I’m not an out-there leader. I’m a team leader. So we haven’t actually thought about that yet.”

This begs the question, what have the Glasgow SNP Group of Councillors being doing for the last 5 years in their group meetings?

Now we know:

“Actually, I’m not an out-there leader. I’m a team leader. So we haven’t actually thought about that yet.”

If she wants to be a ‘team’ leader then maybe she should go sell timeshare and double glazing.

In case anyone has missed what I have been saying at Glasgow SNP, I will refresh everyone’s memories, this is the most important election in Scottish History which is why I called for a dedicated Glasgow training hub to teach activists.

Whoever takes control of Glasgow Council takes a key milestone in the road to independence. It doesn’t guarantee that the independence vote will be won but it is incredibly helpful.

SNP Council Leader Allison Hunter in an STV interview voiced the opinion that the people of Glasgow want change.

The question is change to what? When pressed on Glasgow developments stemming from the Scottish Government, other than the new Southern Hospital, she had to fall back on roads improvement.

On twitter SNP Cllr Grant Thoms floated a self build idea as a policy to kick start house building, I don’t know if this is a Glasgow SNP policy since I don't think he is standing in Glasgow, but the idea to make it easier to self build wasn’t a giant leap forward.

There is no Neil Armstrong at Glasgow SNP standing as a candidate who is willing to make a giant leap for mankind, even locally.

Chris Eynon, head of TNS-BMRB Scotland, said:

"From the initial skirmishes, it would appear that the independence bandwagon has currently lost its momentum, in spite of the poll timing coinciding with the high-profile launch of the consultation in Edinburgh Castle on Burns Day."

Mr Eynon believes some earlier ratings simply reflected the popularity of the SNP Government. But he said the debate around the practicalities of an independent Scotland had resulted in a "weakening of support and reassertion of opposition" to independence.

After 11 polls over five years, support for independence is now back to exactly the same figure it started on, having fluctuated between 31% and 41%.

And that shows the extent of the SNP problem, popularity will carry you so far, but there has to be more behind it.

This should worry SNP ‘team’ Leader Allison Hunter because as she says:

“Actually, I’m not an out-there leader. I’m a team leader.”

It is a bit late in the day to sell the message of ‘change’ when for the last 5 years in public office you haven’t developed any policies to put to the people who may want that enacted.

A recent idea to have a 'petitions committee' to make Glasgow Council, 'Holyrood on the Clyde' is unnecessary duplication because people can already complain to their local councillors and council departments on issues of concern. It may impress some but it doesn’t impress me or any reasonable person who understands avenues are already available.

At present, the Glasgow Council campaign from what I can see is low key, and it isn’t enough to hope that the SNP Holyrood 'bounce' will carry the SNP over the line to win the city.

Also I don’t see the X Factor accepting table dancing Nationalist Council Candidates as contestants screaming ‘freedom’ anytime soon.

The X Factor is choosy much like Glaswegians.

Mind you I can do a good Mel Gibson Braveheart impression shouting ‘freedom’ but it is mostly comedy when I want to take the piss out of idiots.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Opposition parties call for Alex Salmond to say sorry for 'Nazi' slight to BBC and its employee Ric Bailey, both BBC and Alex Salmond overreacted!

2012-02-06T13:17:00.006Z

Dear All

One of the disappointing aspects of the Scottish National Party is how people in the party smear innocent people and then the party fails to act on complaints.

I have been sent information that I was targeted in a SNP smear campaign, the allegations are disgusting and it is not ‘part of politics’ as some people try to wish it away.

What happened when I complained to senior SNP figures such as Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, Derek MacKay and Ian McCann?

Nothing so far, and lets be clear, they aren’t ‘too busy fighting for Scotland’ to deal with this toxic scandal!

My complaint hasn’t been acknowledged despite being sent and the disgusting email of the hate campaign was forwarded and sent to Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, Derek Mackay and Ian McCann.

I am therefore disappointed to see that First Minister Alex Salmond now faces accusations of being involved in an "ugly" smear campaign when it is alleged he compared a BBC executive to a Nazi official.

I have met Alex Salmond, a few times, and he always made a point of saying hi to me in passing, truth be told, he recognises my face but doesn’t have a clue who I am.

One of the other things that Alex Salmond is alleged to have said is that BBC is a "tinpot dictatorship".

The row flared up into its present form after the BBC dropped Mr Salmond from its coverage of a rugby match between Scotland and England on Saturday.

It is not unusual for politicians to attend sporting events in an official capacity because of their position and office they hold, it is fairly common. The BBC say that they had concerns featuring the SNP leader could leave it open to accusations of political bias.

I think this is slightly disingenuous because there is a considerable amount of programming that has politicians of all political shades on it from holiday programmes, travel, history, news, light entertainment, sport and of course politics.

And I am sure that there must be a system to regulate that balance, there must be a policy because of the important role that politics plays in the life of our country.

Was the BBC right to drop Alex Salmond from the rugby coverage?

I would say no, not because I am an SNP member but because his appearance doesn’t affect the local government elections, it could be argued that if it was a Westminster or Holyrood election, the BBC would have a case.

But they don’t here.

Now on to Alex Salmond remarks accusing the BBC's chief political adviser, Ric Bailey, of behaving like a "gauleiter" that was wrong.

Calling the BBC a “tinpot dictatorship” that was also wrong.

Less Alex Salmond forget, it was the BBC in the form of Gordon Brewer that dealt such a devastating blow to Jack McConnell in 2007. Bernard Ponsenby equally destroyed Jack McConnell which saw the support for Labour drain away ushering in the first SNP Government.

In a keen sense of fanning the flames, Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson said that the First Minister was guilty of "hysteria" and described his reaction to being dropped from the sports programme as "embarrassing".

Then that is politics capitalising and exploiting the failings or weakness of others to boost your own credibility.

Patricia Ferguson in my opinion was one of Labour’s weakest candidates in Glasgow in the 2011 Holyrood election; she is a ‘dead sheep’ politician who can’t savage anyone.

Next up pops, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader to accused Mr Salmond of "bully boy" tactics.

Being peeved and venting isn’t bullying, there is a world of difference, trust me I can tell the difference.

Davidson then went on to state the SNP had described those who disagreed with nationalism as being anti-Scottish, actually that was Joan McAlpine, and she was wrong too.

Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, then chipped in his ten cents worth because he is desperate to be established as a political leader. He isn’t in my opinion but that is another story. His take is Alex Salmond was trying to put political pressure on an independent broadcaster.

He said:

"The First Minister is more like a tinpot dictator than the BBC will ever be. It is essential that we protect the independence of the BBC, free from control by our political leaders."

Lets be clear, Alex Salmond ‘spat the dummy’ because he was dropped, probably due to the fact he was looking forward to the game and someone came along and for no good reason cancelled his appearance. It’s a rugby game; any discussion would have been about rugby and tat. Nothing that would change mankind would have been floated and Alex Salmond is wise enough to recognise that any discussion would have to be conducted at ‘pub’ level.

Alex Salmond is the First Minister of Scotland and it shows that even at his level, people can let their emotions get the better of them sometimes. I am sure he didn’t mean it and sure that he has the utmost respect for the BBC who has been incredibly fair to the Scottish National Party.

The BBC is a world wide respect institution and it remains so in my opinion.

Alex, pull that horse up a moment, it’s just a game of rugby; no one has died.

But if you are still peeved off then surely we could ‘invade’ the BBC post independence, but I want to go via, Berlin, Cologne, Brugge, Brussels, Paris, Madrid and Rome first because I need a holiday badly.

And it must be a summer campaign.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Lib Dem Minister Chris Huhne resigns video speech, round one to Vicky Pyrce, round two down the Old Bailey in a fight to the death!

2012-02-03T16:29:00.002Z

National Institute of Economic and Social Research report on Scottish independence flags up problems relating to keeping Sterling, SNP need plan McP

2012-02-03T13:00:00.006Z

Dear All

An independent Scotland is achievable, but like many ideas, it isn’t worth a jot if the work to put it into reality hasn’t been done.

In a nutshell, the task of convincing Joe Public to vote for independence requires not a leaflet, not a crib card for activists but rather more information than the Library of Congress.

Because independence isn’t a PR exercise, it can’t be won by spin, it can’t be won by gimmicks and it can’t be won by a retreaded ‘Alex Salmond for First Minister’ slogan accompanied by hugs and kisses, and a few balloons.

The SNP found out the hard way in 2010 what the public thinks of them on reserved issues.

Just because it is trusted by the public who have faith in their ability to ‘emptying the bins’ as the Government at Holyrood, it doesn’t mean that they are trusted with the big issues:

Constitutional matters
foreign policy
defence and national security
fiscal, economic and monetary System
immigration and nationality
energy: electricity, coal, gas and nuclear energy
common markets
trade and industry, including competition and customer protection
some aspects of transport, including railways, transport safety and regulation
employment legislation
social security
gambling and the National Lottery
data protection
abortion, human fertilisation and embryology, genetics, xenotransplantation and vivisection
equal opportunities

The vision in 2010 was for 20 SNP MPs to walk the corridors of power as a Celt block, in the end, the same six who were previously elected returned, not dancing a Scottish jig.

Or getting anyone else to either!

In short, people make a distinction at Holyrood and Westminster elections.

As an SNP Member, I was shocked and amused during the Greenock by-election which the SNP thought was a possible win, despite the fact that usually if the sitting elected member dies it goes to the incumbent party.

David Cairns was an excellent MP.

During a lively political exchange, the SNP Candidate Anne McLaughlin on STV, lost the election in my opinion, when she was nailed on defence and in particular aircraft carriers.

She said that she wasn’t an expert on aircraft carriers, for her information, it’s a ship with a runway on top carrying planes and helicopters.

If she had asked me, I could have got her someone who builds the fuckers to speak to her; the guy’s dad owes me a favour.

When asked what the defence requirements for an independent Scotland, she sat unable to answer in a coherent way.

The answer to that question was simple, Scotland would retain all current military establishments until the first Scottish defence review was carried out by the new independent government of Scotland.

At Greenock, the SNP brought in the Chief Exec Peter Murrell and his team to run the by-election; it was well run, well laid out and up to a decent standard.

And they also had plenty biscuits, the tea wasn’t great but what do you expect when it isn’t freshly brewed, Morrisons across the road was also a big help.

Defence isn’t a SNP flagship policy, if someone asked me what is the SNP defence policy, I wouldn’t have a clue and that is pretty much the same on all reserved matters.

And I don’t think handing me a crib card to parrot off a piece of meaningless tat as policy will convince anyone else either.

For all I know SNP Defence policy is kicking someone in the balls while screaming ba*tards.

It worked at Glasgow Airport!!!!!!

Anyway another aspect of the independence debate is what currency will Scotland has if it becomes independent.

This is just as serious and more important to ordinary voters, what will the currency be and if entering a monitory union, who with.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research have popped up to state that Scotland could be more constrained on economic policy than at present.

Although their report says that retaining sterling would be "sensible", it flags up that a currency union could restrict fiscal policy.

The Scottish government said the report "validates" its aim to retain sterling and insisted Scotland would be in a "healthier" financial position.

But what if Westminster doesn’t want monitory union with Scotland?

Entering the Euro isn’t an option as Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has said he cannot envisage the economic conditions being correct for the euro "for some considerable time".

John Swinney is pretty smart, this is guy who has a real grasp of his brief, but ‘sometime’ should be altered to never.

The Euro is a doomed currency; it cannot function properly because the Union is so big and so diverse.

Europe has to sort out a whole range of problems and finance is one of them.

The debt problem hasn’t been solved and things are going to get worse.

It’s a house of cards waiting for a light zephyr.

Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy are all unstable, the rest are on their knees as well, except Germany who have a manufacturing base, but high youth unemployment.

Angela Merkel is mindful that across Germany, people aren’t happy bailing out other states while their lifestyles slide.

So, what is the problem for monitory union with England, well the report argues that it is "doubtful" whether the Bank of England would extend lender-of-last-resort facilities to Scottish institutions.

First Minister Alex Salmond has argued for this, but what is in it for England bailing out Scotland if things go tits up?

Shared values?

Shared values go right out the window when large sums of money are involved.

Report author Dr Angus Armstrong said fiscal balances would be volatile because of heavy reliance on oil, and that Scotland would be open to the threat of default.

Seems plausible!

The report adds:

"With a pro rata transfer of existing UK public debt, Scotland would enter independence heavily indebted with no insurance from fiscal risk sharing or fiscal transfer mechanism with the rest of the UK.

"Even with a favourable settlement on future oil revenues, its fiscal balances are likely to be volatile with large deficits in some years as a result of its dependence on oil revenues."

The report continues:

"An independent Scotland is therefore likely to find the implicit constraints on economic policy, especially fiscal policy, are even more restrictive than the explicit ones it faces as part of the UK."

The SNP need to stop thinking that others will simply go along with what they want just because they want it.

They have to plan for the logical step which is a Scottish pound.

We can’t enter the Euro that is financial suicide; the English won’t want the risk of Scotland damaging them if there is a Scottish default.

So, if we are to go it alone, then it means we have to prepare everything.

So far, I have seen nothing of substance to convince the public that they should be placing a big X for a yes vote.

And I don’t think a plastic card to activists to reel off a few maybe’s will cut it.

As the old saying goes, ‘assumption is the mother of all fuck ups’!

Maybe someone should click to the idea that in the next 1,000 days, the campaign will become meaningless if questions are asked by the public and then not answered.

A few questions:

Has the Scottish Government entered into discussions at Ministerial level with Westminster over Scotland retaining Sterling?

Has the Scottish Government entered into discussions at Ministerial level with Westminster over Scotland entering a monitory union?

Has the Scottish Government entered into discussions at Ministerial level with Westminster as using the Bank of England as the lender of last resort?

And an aircraft is still a ship with a runway on top!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for human Rights at Glasgow University

Cabinet Minister Chris Huhne resigns as Government as CPS decide to prosecute him over claims he dodged a speeding ban, career in meltdown

2012-02-03T11:30:00.005Z

Dear All

It’s a miracle and it’s on a Friday too!

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is to face criminal charges over claims he dodged a speeding ban and has now resigned as a Government Minister.

Like Cinderella, he is going to the ‘bail’.

I know it is a play on words but its Friday.

So, Chris Huhne’s MP career now hangs in the balance, as both he and his ex-wife face charges and they will both appear in court on February 16.

His ex- wife Vicky Pryce is the reason for his downfall, she spilled the beans, but not ‘green’ beans.

The move to stick it to Huhne was announced this morning by Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC.

That decision follows an eight-month police investigation.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned especially a Greek one!

Didn’t Huhne watch the Guns of Naverone where a Greek woman plugs a traitor?

If only he had been a film buff.

Huhne betrayed his wife by shagging another woman behind her back, as Huhne went the ‘extra yard’, little did he know that his ‘cock of destiny’ moments could led to meeting ‘big bertie’ (that’s a joke).

His wife is no dimwit; there is brains rolling about in her head, a former visiting professor at t City University's Cass Business School from 2002-6 and since 2008, and at Imperial College Business School since 2010; a visiting Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford since 2008; a Fellow of the Society of Business Economists since 2005, and has sat on the Council of the University of Kent since 2005 and of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts (RSA) from 2008-9.[3] She was a Member on the Council of the Royal Economic Society (REconS) from 2002-7.

She is on the vengeance trail, the target Chris Huhne, the only way she possible saw it for ‘payback’, was ‘pull the pin on the grenade’ as she sacrifices her career too.

It’s all good heroic stuff.

You have got to like this woman!

The decision to proceed with the case means effectively that the Liberal Democrat's Cabinet career is well and truly over, he has resigned, never to be a Cabinet Minister again.

At present he is now just a backbench MP.

Who knows perhaps he thinks he should take the gamble and see how things play out down the Old Bailey.
Maybe he might not get jail.

The charges relate to claims that Mr Huhne, who was an MEP at the time, got his wife to accept penalty points on his behalf which would have led to him being banned from driving.

Pervert the course of justice, false declaration etc etc all serious stuff.

No way back if found guilty.

MP career stuffed as well methinks.

Earlier, both Mr Huhne's Lib Dem and Tory colleagues expressed support for his remaining in post during the investigation but then they would say that.

Further down the line when the papers gets their second wind and a trial starts his ‘supporters’ will be harder to find than Lord Lucan.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has backed off Huhne like a guy who has stepped in dog poo and walked on someone’s cream coloured carpet, then said to the wife, ‘what’s the problem, I have cleaned it up’!

Clegg warned it would be a "very serious issue", and insisted the coalition was determined to uphold the "highest standards of probity" among ministers.

100% lack of support!

And earlier the Cabinet Secretary is also chipped in that Huhne would have to resign if he gets done, bang to rights, me old darling!

Huhne has consistently denied claims he was the one behind the wheel on the fateful day.

But he has to enter a Court of Law and face his angry ex-wife, who looks like a credible witness on paper.

Looks like a case of ‘beware of Greeks baring gifts’ or in this case beware of ‘Chris Huhne baring ass’.

Chris Huhne has resigned as a Government Minister, but his ex-wife probably wants the double or even the treble.

She has scored the first goal to take an early lead, now she is looking to the courts to finish the job.

As an economic she knows the value of getting in specialist labour to move a project forward.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Craig Roy found guilty of Jack Frew murder, no surprise in the verdict but why was Roy not remanded into custody regarding such a serious charge?

2012-02-02T15:07:00.004Z

Dear All

The Jack Frew murder case wasn’t a case that I took much notice of as it appeared on the nightly news.

One thing which stuck me as odd was why Craig Roy who killed Frew was walking in and out Court instead of being remanded into custody.

Craig Roy who murdered Frew has been found guilty.

No surprises there.

Craig Roy killed Frew in woodland near their school in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, in May 2010.

Frew was stabbed 20 times and had his throat slashed with a kitchen knife.

Roy admitted stabbing Jack but denied murder, claiming he had no memory of the incident.

He denied murder but stabbed him 20 times and slashed his throat.

His reason for carrying a knife was as he put it, because he wanted to ‘scare’ his victim.

Scared to death now!

Roy's defence was that he had a personality disorder which diminished his ability to control his actions hence no mens rea.

But the jury of nine women and five men rejected this claim.

It took only two hours of deliberation to find him guilty of murder.

Area Procurator Fiscal for Lanarkshire Janet Cameron said:

"Craig Roy armed himself with a knife and carried out a violent, sustained and murderous attack on Jack Frew. Jack Frew died because Craig Roy had a knife and had no hesitation in using it and using it repeatedly. This crime yet again demonstrates the devastating consequences that can follow from carrying a knife. The senseless loss of such a young life is tragic and caused shock and concern, not just to the local community in East Kilbride but across our country. Today's conviction should act as a warning to anyone thinking of leaving home with a knife or using a knife that prosecutors, working together with the police, will ensure that those people are caught, prosecuted and brought to justice. Our thoughts remain with the family of Jack Frew at this time."

Janet Cameron need not apply for Mulholland’s job.

When the verdict was announced Frew’s family and friends threw their arms around each other, sobbing.

On the other side of the almost-full public gallery Roy's friends and family sat silently.

Craig Roy will be sentenced on March 1 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Since, Roy didn’t plead guilty; he isn’t entitled to a reduction in sentence under the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act.

At the sentencing hearing his lawyer will be able to put forward a plea of mitigation, given the violent nature of the crime, a sentence of double digits is appropriate somewhere in the region of 16 years.

Craig Roy demonstrates that there is something wrong with our justice system, he killed someone, stabbed them 20 times and slashed their throat and someone thought it was appropriate to let him walk the streets.

Where is the logic in that?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

First Minister Alex Salmond calls for the stripping of peerages and baubles of convicted Lords at the House of Lords and bankers, wrong approach Alex

2012-02-02T14:34:00.010Z

Dear All

Alex Salmond yesterday waded into the row over ‘gonggate’ and suggested peers with serious criminal convictions and other failed bankers should be stripped of their titles.

The First Minister was speaking after expressing regret having previously backed the disgraced former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Fred Goodwin.

Goodwin lost his knighthood as he was stripped by the Queen on the recommendation of a forfeit committee set up to look into Goodwin’s knighthood.

The problem with Alex Salmond’s suggestion is that it lacks fairness, why should someone who has inherited a title can commits wrong doing be able to keep their title and someone who is ennobled by the Queen for services to whatever lose theirs if they transgress.

Alex Salmond is a clever politician, I have met him a few times, but throwing this suggestion into the mix to deflect his embarrassment was wrong.

Generally if someone elevated transgresses, the law deals with them that is why we have an independent judiciary.

Once they are punished and serve whatever penalty rendered, that should be the end of the matter, unless their offences involved crimes that by law, place restrictions on them in society.

Natural justice and fairness demands we don’t continually punish people post verdict; that is why we have courts.

A long time ago, I wrote a post on The Spectator where I highlighted the need not to conduct witch hunts which several SNP members in other publications started regarding Labour Peer Mike Watson, calling for him to be stripped.

Watson was punished, that is the end of the matter, but apparently some SNP people thought this was unacceptable.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3326771/we-shouldnt-ignore-the-poverty-in-our-own-country.thtml

I wrote this on Thursday, 5th February 2009.

By calling for others to be put to the sword, we should remember that the SNP Government is part of this charade by allowing people to be recommended for honours.

Brian Souter is an example of someone who I would never have put forward for a nomination.

The First Minister says there was "some humbug" about the whole affair, which had provided a "convenient distraction" from some of the bigger policy issues, such as spending cuts.

Mr Salmond added:

"What about all the other people who are keeping their honours who were also involved in the financial collapse? Are they going to have their honours withdrawn?

"What about the folk in the House of Lords who have been convicted of serious criminal offences? Why are they still in a legislature?"

Do you wish to punish these people Mr. Salmond and on what basis?

Because you backed Goodwin, you made a judgement call because at the time you thought that Goodwin was competent and wanted to be seen to support Scottish business.

Your judgement wasn’t wrong in the concept and you didn’t know Goodwin’s background because you took things at face value and gave people the benefit of the doubt.

I would do so too until they proved otherwise.

In the Westminster expenses scandal, many supposedly honourable people working as lawmakers turned out to be law breakers.

Also, less we forget many MSPs were exposed for the second mortgage scandal at Holyrood, where even SNP people who sold off second properties part funded by the taxpayer pocketed a fortune and kept the money the taxpayer paid.

They legally ripped off the taxpayer but that’s okay because they did so within the rules which means they are free if they so choose to remain an SNP MSP or stand again for Holyrood in the future.

I don’t agree with your stance and I don’t agree with you pulling others in front of you as a shield because some ‘political bullets’ came flying your way.

You made a judgement call, it turn out Goodwin wasn't worthy of your endorsement, it happens, but don’t go pissing on other people’s lives.

There is nothing honourable in travelling down that road.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Muslim terrorists planned 'Mumbai-style' attack on London, “Aye up you unbelievin' Kuffar b*stards”; Four Lions become Four Prison Bitches

2012-02-01T14:07:00.010Z

Dear All

Many European politicians and even Trevor Phillips of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says that multiculturalism has failed.

The proof of the pudding is the rise of radical home-grown Islamists in the UK.

Four radical Muslims have admitted an al Qaeda-inspired plot to detonate a bomb at the London Stock Exchange.

Why could they just hang on as the market is collapsing anyway!

The Muslim fundamentalists' group decided that they wanted to be bombers to send five mail bombs to various targets during the run up to Christmas 2010.

Can’t pick decent presents to send through the post?

Another aspect of their plot was the discussion to launch a ‘Mumbai-style’ atrocity killing innocent people.

Luckily for everyone in the community, these Muslim criminals were caught.

In true jihadi style, they scribble down a target list which was found at one of the defendant's homes on a piece of paper.

The list had the names and addresses of London Mayor Boris Johnson, two rabbis, the American Embassy and the Stock Exchange.

Who in their right minds would want to bomb Boris Johnson?

That poor bastard has enough trouble on his plate.

Two rabbis who preach peace, another callous act.

Bombing the American Embassy, why, everyone wants to go to Disneyland and California, I know I do, to potter about the place.

They have f*cked their chances for going on the rollercoasters now.

And as I said the stock market is collapsing, so blowing up the Stock Exchange is meaningless.

In total nine men admitted various terror crimes at Woolwich Crown Court and will be sentenced next week.

The ‘Lynchpin’ was said to Mohammed Chowdhury, 21.

Apparently he and his London accomplice Shah Rahman, 28, were followed by undercover detectives on November 28, 2010, observing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the Palace of Westminster.

Personally, I love seeing the sights of London, gives a sense of history as you potter about, thank goodness the plot fell on its arse.

As part of their terror training, the defendants were said to possess the al Qaeda magazine Inspire, which contained a feature: ‘Make A Bomb In The Kitchen Of Your Mom.’

Other articles; were ‘how to make a nuclear warhead in the cellar’ and ‘using the loft as a firing range’, and my all time favourite, ‘using your sister’s arse as an ammo dump.’

Finally, I caught the start of the movie, ‘Four Lions’ by Chris Morris, here is a segment:

Waj: “Aye up you unbelievin' Kuffar bastards! I'm gonna turn you to baked beans”.

Barry: “What's with the gun?”

Waj: “Proper replica man”.

Barry: “It's too small man!”

Waj: “Not too small, brother. Big hands!”

Seems our home grown Muslims ‘terrorists’ have much in common with the movie.

All this could have been avoided if they had joined a political party and stood for election.

And they could have been paid expenses to wreck the place, legally.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Poster takes George Laird to task on Tommy Sheridan video, does he really think that George McNeilage is Pollok’s Steven Spielberg or James Cameron?

2012-02-01T13:18:00.010Z

Dear Anon

I like a laugh and sometimes a good story.

“That video has never been examined forensically and it's simple to fake”.

George McNeilage is the next Steven Spielberg or James Cameron?

“I wonder if the BBC will ever be forced to explain in a court of law how they obtained the video and who stole it for them”.

That is irrelevant to the prejury case, the Gail Sheridan police video, you are confusing the two.

“Their conviction date night time expose' of Sheridan meant they had the video before the trial finished. Contempt of court crime if it wasn't for establishment cover ups”.

This isn’t relevant to the Tommy Sheridan case.

“I've no love for Tommy but he was obviously set up like a kipper by the police/ Crown/ BBC/ former friends etc because he was a threat to them”.

Have you seen the votes that Solidarity gets, even with Tommy Sheridan standing?

Who is he a threat too? He has a brand name, but his party isn’t able to get on a level footing with the mainstream ones.

Why?

Because the overworked ‘comrades’ and brothers and sisters’ act is a throwback to the 1970’s!

Modern politics must be conducted in a modern fashion, his party needs a new name, new policies and new direction from the grassroots up to him. He could really benefit from George Laird radical thinking on how to market his party.

“His human rights were non existent”.

If you look closely at the Sheridan, George Neilage video at the start, there is a shot of Sheridan in side profile, complete with his grey hair at the temple.

If he continues on with this nonsense, he is a fool; he should drop it and move on.

I have met Sheridan, he is likeable, but he got himself into this mess and he can get himself out of it, at least back to a start point.

He should rebuild his party, if he wants to waste time, energy and money trying to get a technical decision to quash his case, it’s his dime, but any judge of good standing will not find in his favour.

This is because, removing any alleged malpractice by News International people or their agents doesn’t alter the facts that a video exists and is corroborated by a room full of witnesses who said he confessed.

And finally, no offence to George McNeilage but he doesn’t strike me as the type who did well at Skool.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Public ‘delighted’ as Fred Goodwin is ‘de-knighted’, Glasgow University product suffers ultimate humiliation of being asset stripped by ‘the firm'

2012-02-01T12:56:00.005Z

Dear All

Glasgow University product Sir Fred Goodwin is no longer Sir Fred Goodwin.

He is to be de-knighted.

A committee of civil servants considered Fred the shred, the former boss of Royal Bank of Scotland is to be stripped of his knighthood.

And his honour and personal dignity!

I wonder if he has to hand back a suit of armour or a sword.

David Cameron said it was "right" for the Honours Forfeiture Committee to consider the matter when it next meets and they have met.

The message isn’t just for Goodwin but to all products of the human rights abusing Glasgow University, watch your step.

Glasgow University product Goodwin might claim that he has been unfair treated as generally when stripped, honours have only been taken away from people convicted of a serious crime or struck off.

Ex Sir Fred was honoured in 2004 for services to the banking industry which shows the entire honours system is a sham for the rich.

A growing number of Conservative MPs called for the knighthood to be rescinded while Labour has suggested it would not oppose the move.

Goodwin should never have been given the honour in the first place; the entire honours system is a middle class racket that highlights class distinction.

The Queen passes out a few gongs to the peasantry if they distinguish themselves as sporting superstars but generally the entire haul goes to the upper middle class.

A few peasants flung in to make it look kosher and ‘balance the books’.

The Queen has signed off on the de-knighting.

Still he has the £600k a year pension.

Glasgow University product Fred Goodwin now just a plain Fred the Shred!

Proves what I have said, standards have slipped badly at human rights abusing Glasgow University.

Corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli Principal!

Who should never be honoured by the Queen, unless Lizzie is giving ‘gongs’ for services to covering up institutional bullying, discrimination, harassment, malpractice and criminal fraud!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scotland’s Nelson Mandela, Tommy Sheridan vows to clear his name after prison release, what a pity there is overwhelming evidence by the Crown!

2012-01-31T15:17:00.009Z

Dear All

Defiance!

That is the message from Scotland’s Nelson Mandela, Tommy Sheridan.

The former MSP Tommy Sheridan has vowed to re-fight his conviction and launched a new High Court appeal.

Sheridan wants to expose the "lies and damned lies" against him.

However, there is a problem, a fly in the ointment, he confessed to a room full of people and there is a videotape with him confessing to a witness.

That means if you take away the NOTW alleged misdemeanours of hacking etc of him.

He is still f*cked, Sheridan’s case wasn’t an unfair conviction or unsafe.

When Sheridan left Castle Huntly open prison, near Dundee, the narrative had already been written, Sheridan was Scotland’s Nelson Mandeal, he was Mohandas K Gandhi, he had been opposed, sent into internal exile by being banged up for his beliefs.

Scotland’s only political prisoner with a share of the vote so small that even Lib Dems would be happy to get it.

He has done just one-third of his three-year sentence for perjury and he could be recalled to prison if he causes a problem.

Standing in front of his own castle in Paisley Road West, he pledged to fight his conviction in the courts.

And unfortunately for those campaigning for independence said he hoped to take an active part in the campaign for Scottish independence.

Sheridan is a comic, he is a funny guy, likeable but the fact remains he is damaged goods politically and publicly.

Mind you the public can forgive much, anyone can mess up, but the lack of a confession and the continuation of the ‘circus’ doesn’t help Sheridan.

He was done bang to rights; even Rumpole of the Bailey couldn’t get him off.

So as to his ‘fight’, Sheridan believes clear proof or admissions of criminal misconduct by the NOTW when it was investigating his private life would have influenced the jury.

Take away their evidence which wasn’t important to the nub of the case and he is still f*cked.

Looking visibly thinner, he announced:

"We will continue to fight to clear my name."

The only way that could happen is on a technically and I very much doubt, that is going to happen, his case wouldn’t get to the starting line, let alone go the distance.

Sheridan added:

"We are determined to highlight the contrasts in treatment between the 20-plus News of the World former journalists, I've lost count, who have been arrested for illegal activities (and myself). I've not read of any of them who had their homes raided over a mammoth nine-hour search or their children traumatised in the interests in justice.

"Well, I have news for them and for others. This fight is far from over and this story has not yet finished.

"I believe I will return to Glasgow High Court within the near future but not as an accused, but as an accuser of witnesses at my trial for the lies and damned lies they gave in the course of the evidence that was given that allowed a narrow conviction to be passed on December 23 of last year.

"We are confident that, once the lies of those perjurers are highlighted, we will have a very strong appeal that will hopefully lead to the quashing of my unfair, unsafe and unsound conviction."

Bollocks!

In a touch of comedy Sheridan said:

"It is a relief to be able to speak personally for once. It seems a while now since I have been able to speak. It's always been through my good friend and excellent lawyer Aamer Anwar”.

In fact Anwar who I remember from human rights abusing Glasgow University was so ‘excellent’ his client got done and imprisoned!

Sheridan obviously sets the bar pretty low.

Anyway, it is back on the campaign trail for Sheridan with the possibility that his wife might stand in the Glasgow City Council Elections 2012.

Good luck to them.

But really, they have become more like the Hamiltons down in England, famous for being infamous.

The reality is that Sheridan is damaged, his party is damaged and there is a credibility gap which needs addressed, Solidarity needs a major overhaul if it is to be a political force.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

President Sarkozy launches a bizarre attack on Britain by saying 'The United Kingdom has no industry any more', less of 'le merde' Sarkozy

2012-01-30T13:30:00.003Z

Dear All

Oui, oui mes braves, it is le terrible.

The President Sarkozy has attacked Britain for being a country with 'no industry'.

He has a problem, the French are in an election cycle and that means his neck is on the line, and things don’t look ‘le bon’.

Non, non, non, his French derriere is in a ringer!!!

This sneering by Sarkozy is a sign of desperation to try and generate some interest that Sarkozy is a fighter for France.

But does attacking Britain for being a country with 'no industry' really help his cause?

I would say non!

Tensions between France and Britain have soured lately because of the Euro crisis with Sarkozy playing a key role along with Merkel of Germany in leading the ‘recovery.

Translated more money into the black hole!

David Cameron isn’t impressed and during a recent summit, the two were hugging and kissing for the cameras.

Sarkozy famously refused to shake David Cameron's hand after he vetoed the proposed EU treaty changes.

The ‘war’ or as the French say ‘Le Guerre’ is still running, Sarkozy is facing his downfall as the French are sick of austerity and poor leadership.

And with Sarkozy expressing his dislike of his cross-Channel neighbours, it takes the shine off statesmanship.

And in October at an EU-27 summit, after criticism from UK ministers over the euro, Mr Sarkozy bluntly told Mr Cameron:

“You have lost a good opportunity to shut up.”

He added:

“We are sick of you criticising us and telling us what to do. You say you hate the euro and now you want to interfere in our meetings.”

And chucking in a bit of scandalous talk he said:

“Perhaps the fact that you come from an island; you can't understand the subtleties of the European construction.”

Oh dear!

The end for Sarkozy looks possible, people have a shelf life when they ‘go off’ with the public; it is only a matter of time before Sarkozy gets the heave oh by the French people.

At that point; the word, ‘merde’ which figure in his mind!

Vie La France, down with the dictator Sarkozy!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Move towards single Scottish National Police Force sees 2000 police workers being axed, sackings were always going to happen to protect frontline

2012-01-27T13:57:00.009Z

Dear All

You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.

When I proposed the single national police force for Scotland at the SNP National Assembly in Perth on the 4th September 2010, I knew two things, the current setup was unsustainable and that if my idea was accepted there would be job losses.

A lot of job losses, of backroom staff, but given the financial situation and danger of frontline numbers being cut, the options were limited.

On a financial sense, the idea is sound, but regardless of finance other more important issues were at stake.

Public safety and increased operational effectiveness!

So, now the sting in the tail, 2000 civilian staff will be axed when Scotland's new single police force is created.

That is unfortunate but necessary and it was always on the cards, as to beat bobbies being left desk-bound that is speculative as the new national force isn’t even in operation.

Although, one-third of workers will lose their posts when the Police Service of Scotland is created in April 2013 that number will have to climb.

The reason is that the Scottish Government hasn’t a Plan McB, reformed is talked about as soundbytes but under the surface, despite people trying to give the impression that the ‘wheels are turning’, they aren’t.

Lots of use of the word, ‘change’ but no idea what kind of change, the timescale, the implications, indeed anything tangible to put to the electorate.

So, who gets the chop, staff who field calls from the public, court liaison officers, forensics, human resources and admin employees, all hitting the tiles.

There is a case of retaining forensics and such a move to dismiss these people would be counter productive.

Scaremongering has started with the Scottish Police Federation and Unison saying Police would be taken off the streets. Police are already taken off the streets in the current setup.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was unwise to write to Scotland's 17,000 police officers and civilian staff reassuring them they would keep their jobs.

That wasn’t going to happen; the SNP put forward a policy for a national police force, knowing that people were going to be sacked.

If they deny that was known that what they are really saying is that they are incompetent or naïve.

I can understand why the Scottish Government said this, and then turned around and said that ‘sackings’ would be a matter for the new Chief Constable, because they don’t want to face the tag that they sacked 2,000 people.

Instead, they prefer ‘sacking by proxy’ because they want to be everyone's 'friend'.

The result is still the same, people will lose their jobs.

You could look at this mentality in this way, Kenny MacAskill pulls a Glock pistol and puts a bullet through someone’s head by randomly firing and then wants to blame the guy who comes to clean up the mess and say it’s his fault.

Kenny MacAskill should accept responsibility for what he has done, because it is was necessary and there aren’t too many other viable options on the table.

There is no point in blaming others, the Scottish National Party adopted a policy and the direct result is that people were going to be sacked.

Cutbacks are already happening, 832 police support staff have been cut in the past year.

Scottish Police Federation chairman Les Gray said:

"Common sense dictates you should never dispense with civilian staff and replace them with police officers. Economically it is just plain daft. All of these staff contribute to the frontline. Without them the frontline would not exist."

Gray has never impressed me, and his protectionism and scaremongering isn’t helpful.

Peter Veldon, Unison's staff side-secretary for the police and fire services says members would be balloted about strike action.

He added:

"In the first year, there will be a threat to 2000 staff jobs. This will mean police officers – on double the salary – having to leave the streets to go back to their desks to do call-handling, forensics, intelligence and administrative work. The Government has a dilemma, though, because it has said there will be no compulsory redundancies. We have serious concerns about how this will work."

Mr. Veldon should accept the fact that change for the better is happening, there is no point standing in the way of destiny.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Councils have a liquidity problem, but solutions to this aren’t being solved.

In October, Mr MacAskill told officers in a letter: "All officers and staff in post when the new organisation is established will transfer to the Scottish Police Service on the day of establishment."

It added:

"We have also made clear ... there should be no compulsory redundancies."

Aye, aye, aye, very good, the reality will be less rosy.

Graeme Pearson, a Labour MSP and the former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said:

"This comes from a minister who denied there were any cuts in the first place. I raised concerns eight weeks ago about the numbers of support staff that had already been cut and he indicated that was fanciful and there would be no substantial cuts."

Graeme Pearson should remember that the Labour Party has signed up to this to the hilt, pretty much everyone is onboard except the Lib Dems, I don’t know about Margo McDonald but really who cares what she thinks.

The new force is expected to cost £234m over five years, this is a huge saving, unfortunately, people will lose out, but this isn’t being done out of spite, it is being done to protect the service.

If the new force can get a few years to bed in, the stage two reform can happen, this isn’t a final solution to policing but rather a staging post.

At a future SNP National Assembly; I can layout stage two reforms, but let us get the new force up and running.

And sort out the kinks like the enlargement of the Police board to 20 members instead of the proposed 11, that was a serious mistake by the Scottish Government.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Glasgow University product Sir Fred Goodwin could lose his knighthood within days, a small price to pay for his failure, but public want it!

2012-01-26T14:28:00.004Z

Dear All

It seems that Glasgow University product ‘Sir’ Fred Goodwin is on the verge of losing his knighthood.

Knighted by the Queen, it appears he is about to be de-knighted which will see people de-lighted.

The Glasgow University product has had his honour award re-visited by the Honours Forfeiture Committee.

And if there is any justice, then he should be stripped of his title.

The public want it and I see that politicians have unofficially hinted at it as David Cameron has publicly spoken out on the issue.

Conservative Party backbencher David Ruffley has stated that Goodwin should lose his "ill-deserved knighthood".

In reply to Ruffley, Cameron said:

"The Forfeiture Committee will be meeting, as I understand it, this week."

Quite so, much as it pains me to support Tories, this is a matter of public decency and morality.

Goodwin was at the helm as chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland when the bank was involved in a takeover of Dutch bank ABN Amro. That was a mistake, deemed to be ill-judged when led to near collapse of RBS.

Following on from this, the taxpayer was forced into a bailout of RBS, the biggest in history, to the tune of £45 Billion.

Finally, the public may get some satisfaction but until the ‘deal is sealed’ we shouldn't get our hopes up.

Britain is still a deeply corrupt country.

I favour Goodwin being stripped of his honour because he didn’t deserve it.

For the human rights abusing Glasgow University, this is another reminder that the public is catching on to what is produced there.

A Glasgow University product was responsible for the biggest bailout in history.

Perhaps Goodwin should setup a burger van with corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli, someone else who is unworthy of honours, maybe the two could make ago of it as they appear to be cut from the same cloth.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

MSP Margo McDonald seeks return of state sanctioned legalised killing bill, Holyrood has a crank stalking the halls wanting political immortality

2012-01-25T15:17:00.004Z

Dear All

Independent MSP Margo MacDonald is to launch a fresh attempt to get the medical community involved in state sanctioned murder.

This is her bringing back the End of Life Assistance Bill.

If Ms. McDonald is so keen to end her own life by using others then she should travel to Switzerland were they allow this disgusting practice.

The End of Life Assistance Bill is Margo McDonald’s ticket to Holyrood immortality.

Sorry, you’re getting fu*k all dear.

The Lothians MSP, who has Parkinson's disease, claimed there was wide public support for the legislation; this is because it hasn’t been explained what this actually means.

We would expect doctors and nurses to kill people and all that entails regarding the breaking of the medical oath and the destruction of trust.

She doesn’t see this as a problem, its all about what she wants.

MacDonald says it is important to allow terminally ill people some dignity in death, there is no dignity in death McDonald, perhaps she has watched movies and has gotten the notion that there is some fairy tale end with music and bright lights.

She said:

"Since the defeat of my original proposal in December 2010, the volume of correspondence I've received on the matter, coupled with the continuing public interest, stimulated in part by some high-profile statements in favour of the general principle of assisted suicide, indicates to me a consistent level of support for individuals suffering a terminal illness or condition, for whom life becomes intolerable, to have the legal right to request help to end their life before nature decrees."

People also favour bringing back hanging, what the public wants isn’t the same as what the public needs, as an MSP she should be seeking to do no harm and do no wrong.

Patently in my opinion, she is unfit to be an MSP for holding such disgusting views.

If she is so keen regarding death, then buy a CZ75, a hand vice, a file, a table and a hacksaw, chair for sitting on, optional, while she is going the work.

Put a bullet in the vice, using the hacksaw make an X by sawing, then take the file and clean up loose edges. Once done, insert the bullet into the clip (facing the correct way). Insert the clip into the CZ75 making sure the safety is off and cock the weapon.

Then it is just a matter of pulling the trigger by placing the barrel in the mouth or under the chin.

The round enters the head and the bullet breaks up effectively shredding the brain and blowing the back of the head off.

It's not a fairy tale ending like the heavenly music and fluffiness that McDonald is expecting but is does the job right.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

SNP Government Minister Alex Neil accuses Labour North Lanarkshire Council personnel of "robbing” elderly citizens, election flared up backfires

2012-01-24T14:55:00.007Z

Dear All

You can tell that parties are in an election mode by rhetoric coming out in the scrum to get voters.

However in using rhetoric you have to be careful, Alex Neil is a senior Scottish Government Minister. He is a very good speaker, in fact if I get the opportunity to listen to him rather than some of my less gifted SNP colleagues, I pick him everytime, he is a good performer, knows his stuff and can pitch it at a level that gets the message across.

This time in getting his message out, he has sparked fury among unions and council leaders after accusing his local authority of being "bloated" and "barely fit for purpose".

John Reid, the former Labour Minister first came out with the ‘unfit for purpose’ during an investigation into the Home Office and how it was run.

The phrase ‘unfit for purpose’ was then picked up on by many ‘professionals’ as management speak jargon.

Alex Neil is the MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, he has come out and said that North Lanarkshire Council has been "badgering people on the lowest of incomes".

Other claims are that the education department is over-staffed and that its housing division is letting homes "which are not in a fit state for a family to live in".

On badgering people, he says:

"The finance department badger people on the lowest of incomes for money which sometimes they don't even owe."

I don’t think that this type of mistake is specific to North Lanarkshire and I very much doubt that in SNP Councils mistakes don’t happen.

As to the education department being overstaffed, is he suggesting that if the SNP wins the North Lanarkshire Council, they would carry out widespread redundancies post election?

As for the housing issue, and letting homes "which are not in a fit state for a family to live in", perhaps he should as an SNP Minister bring in a bill for a minimum standard. Houses and flats have to be wind and water tight before they are let, along with having running water and other amenities as a Scottish standard. I am unsure what else Alex Neil could be referring too, perhaps he might expand.

After Neil Neil has made his comments, workers have reacted angrily towards the minister with unions stepping in to demand an apology. At election time isn’t considered smart to even hint that employees are going to get sacked.

Even if that could be part of a future SNP Council’s agenda!

Unison has reacted quickly by sending a letter of complaint to both Mr Neil and First Minister Alex Salmond criticising the comments.

Unison's rep, Chris Armstrong, said:

"Alex Neil should apologise to our 7500 members at North Lanarkshire. Fair enough if he wants to have a pop at the administration but not the workers. We don't need Alex Neil using us as a political football at a time when cuts mean the council has had to get shot of people and those remaining have to do more and more."

A senior North Lanarkshire administration source said:

"Alex Neil is an embarrassment to the SNP and Scottish Government. This type of overblown rhetoric with no basis in fact is a serious error of judgment. More than 70% of our 17,000 staff live in North Lanarkshire and will be voting in the council elections in May so hardly the smartest move in the world or a vote-winning strategy."

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said:

"We do not recognise the portrayal of the council by Alex Neil MSP. Audit Scotland, in finding that the council is high-performing, stated that the council has good strategic direction, with good leadership and clear vision. We will be responding appropriately to Mr Neil in due course."

The unfortunate thing in the broadside fired back is Audit Scotland finding the council is high-performing, stated that the council has good strategic direction, with good leadership and clear vision.

One of the things in the Scottish National Party which concerns me as an SNP Member is that certain people in the party who hold positions or are connected to the senior leadership think that it is acceptable to smear people and get away with it because they are 'protected'.

Some of these people doing the smearing are the employees and relatives of SNP MSPs, the real ‘cybernats’.

In a column in a local newspaper, Mr Neil rather unwisely stated new North Lanarkshire charges were "robbing many elderly citizens of a large chunk of their pension."

By using the word ‘robbing’, he has accused personnel of North Lanarkshire of being involved in a systematic fraud through-out the council; however I don’t believe that is what he meant, I would say that he meant the charges were unfair, but regardless he still shouldn’t have used such language.

What is said publicly matters, as everything is governed by the Nolan Principles of standards conducted in public life.

His claim of believing North Lanarkshire was one of the worst-run authorities is subjective since, he hasn’t personal first hand knowledge of working in other council.

In refusing to apologise or back down Alex Neil has defending his position by saying:

"Any sensible person knows my comments were directed at the Labour leadership and a handful of senior officers, not the workers for whom I have the highest respect. The council is led by a political dinosaur and I can give example after example illustrating the points I've made. For too long North Lanarkshire has been run as a one-party state. The Unison representative should worry more about the compulsory redundancies facing the workers than any loyalty to Labour."
So, a sensible person would think it is okay to accuse North Lanarkshire Council of "robbing many elderly citizens of a large chunk of their pension."

I don’t think so.

Also giving example after example of his points only proves that personnel maybe incompetent which flies in the face of him saying that he has the “highest respect” for the workers. Generally when people are getting mucked about the chain starts with the cross the counter personnel, the workers!

His parting shot to the Unison rep about compulsory redundancies facing the workers is actually quite funny because earlier he stated that the education department is over-staffed and has more than hinted that an incoming SNP Council would have to address the problem.

By making people either compulsory redundant or voluntary redundant!

I think Alex Neil has made the best possible case for the Labour Party but he should really be making the case for the Scottish National Party.

Since he is a government minister!

And I can’t see how saying vote SNP get made compulsory redundant or voluntary redundant wins hearts and minds.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

George Robertson criticises future Scottish Government defence plan, SNP need NATO and major changes to ‘defence lite’ policies to be trusted

2012-01-23T15:09:00.008Z

Dear All

After the Holyrood election, Alex Salmond stood up and said that the SNP didn’t have a monopoly on wisdom.

It is true, the SNP don’t get everything right, they do make mistakes, but no one gets everything right all the time.

Former Nato Secretary General George Robertson has said Alex Salmond's defence plans for an independent Scotland are "half-baked", "reckless" and have a "gigantic hole" in them.

Robertson was also a former Defence Secretary back in the day.

His approach to the independence debate is to criticise the SNP's plans regarding defence, by saying they lacked coherence.

He said:

"This is not a serious plan for the defence of a separate Scottish state."

Like other SNP Members, I am only getting to hear what the vision that Mr. Salmond and his team think is appropriate.

Lord Robertson attacked Mr Salmond for arguing that there was an "overwhelming case" to retain three airbases in Scotland when he is now arguing an independent Scotland would only need one.

I have for sometime saying and blogging that the SNP need to stop this populist thinking, jumping on a bandwagon to get votes.

So, we have the First Minister arguing for 3 as “overwhelming” then doing a complete about face, how can this be credible?

Defence isn’t an SNP strong point, recently, Alex Salmond said; an independent Scotland would have one airbase, one naval base and a mobile armed brigade as exactly the right mix.

I would like to see the paperwork on how someone came to this conclusion, when it is so blatantly ‘defence lite’.

Lord Robertson said:

"There is a gigantic hole in the plan and that is the fact that the SNP intend to tear Scotland out of Nato, the first time any country would contemplate this irresponsible course of action.

Adding:

"Outside of Nato, the world's most successful defence alliance, it is difficult to see what the proposed force structure would be about." He said the SNP was the only mainstream political party in all of the 27 Nato nations which suggested withdrawal. The SNP's only compatriots are the extremist and fringe parties in Europe – and not even all of them. It is high time the SNP leadership rethought this outdated and oddball policy."
An independent Scotland outside NATO is an ill conceived position to take at many levels from universal security to getting soldiers valuable experience of NATO missions.

The SNP has come along way; unfortunately they still have a long way to go when it comes to defence and other reserved matters.

2010, Scotland spoke on reserved matters by returning only six SNP MPs to Westminster that should have sent alarm bells ringing.

But let us stick to defence, one airbase and one naval base, leaves Scotland vulnerable.

Lord Robertson isn’t a fan of the return of Scottish regiments from the British Army either which in itself isn’t as straightforward as everyone in the SNP seems to think it is.

The regiment’s personnel may not wish to transfer to a Scottish Army; such a move limits opportunities for them from educational to promotion.

There is no SNP fix for those issues.

Lord Robertson added:

"For example, the Scots Guards are a key part of the UK Brigade of Guards and cannot simply be cut out of the Brigade on a political whim. And what about logistic troops, or combat support and combat service support? Engineers, medics, communicators, and reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence forces – all are essential to all armed forces. Nothing is said about how this gap is to be filled or afforded. The other missing link in these half-baked proposals is the cost and huge job losses to a separate Scotland of relocating the Faslane submarine base. None of the small countries constantly quoted by the SNP need such a base for conventional submarines. If the SNP dogmatically demand the withdrawal of Trident it will have to pay multibillion-pound compensation for it to be relocated."

The SNP policy on NATO isn’t credible, neither is the removal of nuclear submarines from Faslane, our alliances must be strong within NATO, we sit at a key strategic position, we should be open to the US using our facilities for their nuclear submarine fleet.

The SNP must commit to NATO, the SNP must commit to allowing nuclear submarines to be retained; the SNP must commit to a better Scottish defence policy than is currently proposed.

Either that or Alex Salmond should just ringing up John Smeaton and ask is he available on call to kick foreign invaders 'in the balls' as a ‘Plan McB’.

Defence isn’t cheap and it isn’t something to be taken lightly.

If Scotland wants to be taken seriously as a member of the world community, then a shitty airbase, naval base beside a big puddle and a group of guys travelling about on a 'battle bus' screaming ‘Scotland’ isn’t going to cut it.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scotland’s top judge Lord Hamilton gets rebuffed in Supreme Court row; it is a firm no, to his call for anti human rights legislation in Scotland Bill

2012-01-19T14:28:00.004Z

Dear All

Only yesterday, I blogged on Lord Hamilton was wrong to try and remove the right of ordinary Scots to take their cases to the UK Supreme Court where there was concerns over aspects of their trial involving denial of article six human rights to a fair trial.

Lord Hamilton fired off a letter to Westminster asking that Scotland be made ‘equal’, but what he was actually asking for was human rights denial.

In the space of 324 hours since I blogged he has had his reply, his ridiculous requested has been rejected.

It never had a realistic chance of success as the English cannot remove the right and Holyrood cannot legislate it a way.

At present there is a nasty debate running regarding the referendum and the Scottish establishment seeing which way the wind is blowing is jumping on the SNP bandwagon.

Much the same way as everyone climbed aboard when Blair won by a landslide in 1997!

There is danger in being ‘populist’ as everyone knows only too well, all things to all men, generally means relevant to none.

Lord Hamilton, the Lord President effectively has backed First Minister Alex Salmond, who effectively back Justice Kenny MacAskill and Elish Angiolini over a turf war with the UK Supreme Court.

At stake was the true nature of justice in Scotland.

The people of Scotland were lucky, not that Kenny MacAskill and Elish Angiolini was ‘fighting’ for them but rather it was another Scotsman came to their aid.

Lord Hope of the UK Supreme Court!

If it wasn’t for people like Lord Hope, Scotland would be even more unfair than it current is.

When Lord Hamilton jumped on the populist bandagon, he tarnished his reputation as Scotland’s senior judge.

Supporting human rights denial, where is the impartially in it that?

He has fallen into line with senior prosecutors and SNP Ministers, in calling for the London court to treat Scottish criminal appeals in exactly the same way as those from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This can only be done by human rights denial, that is the only way to look at this issue, it isn’t politically, it is a purely justice issue.

Lord Wallace, the Advocate General for Scotland has signalled he "remained to be persuaded".

This is code for f*ck off, Wallace can never be convinced because whoever signs this away will be forever tainted, and he couldn’t legally get away with it anyway.

Politically removal of human rights needs a seismic event to happen such as war or national emergency.

Another person to enter the fray is Paul McBride QC he opines that Lord Wallace's stance effectively meant Britain had two classes of judges.

When a English Judge sit on the UK Supreme Court, they effectively become a British Judge, Lord Hope isn’t English.

His point is ill-judged and plainly incorrect.

McBride said:

"Basically, we have English judges who can be trusted and Scottish ones who can't."

This is the type of mentality that this issue generates, gross stupidity, the UK Supreme Court has rendered flawless judgments, and if the Appeal Court judges had done their jobs properly, both Cadder and the Fraser decisions wouldn’t have needed to go to London in the first place.

The UK Supreme Court pointed out by default incompetence within our legal system that is institutional in nature. This is because these people must know the law, so either they are ignorant and have no place on the bench or they are deceitful, in which case they shouldn’t be on the bench.

To give them the benefit of the doubt, I prefer to believe they are ignorant rather than outright corrupt.

Lord Hamilton and the Holyrood ministers' complaint stems from the UK Supreme Court's 2010 "Cadder" decision, which gave suspects in custody the right to legal advice.

The UK Supreme Court judgments have been welcomed by defence, human rights lawyers and human rights activists such as me; who believed Scots Law needed fundamental reforms.

Scotland needs two Deputy Justice Minsters in the Scottish Government tasked with reform issues.

Lord Wallace, in a letter to Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has stated my previous point rgarding the certificate when he wrote:

"I remain to be persuaded that it is necessary to require an appeal under the new appeals route to be certified by the High Court before it can be appealed to the Supreme Court."

Historically, the High Court of Justiciary was the court of final appeal in all Scottish criminal cases.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said:

"We welcome the Lord President's intervention, which underlines the seriousness with which the matter is being treated by the Scottish judiciary, and support his view. We agree that the High Court of Justiciary should have the final say on which points of law are of general public importance and with the recommendation of a certification process."

I would like to reply to this person:

Try reading a law book on human rights; then you might be able to take part in the debate, instead of being a sycophant.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Lord Hamilton enters the UK Supreme Court row, where did he get his law degree, at a Bangkok Whore House, remedial class in ethics wouldn’t go a miss!

2012-01-18T17:42:00.008Z

Dear All

Scotland’s most senior judge is Lord President, Lord Hamilton, he has written a letter to the UK Parliament into the Supreme Court looking at Scottish cases brought before them under the auspices of human rights.

His take on the Supreme Court row is to urge Westminster to give the judiciary north of the border equal powers to the rest of the UK.

What does that mean?

It means that Lord President, Lord Hamilton is arguing for the removal of a human right that accused and convicted Scots or those held in Scottish jails currently have.

He is arguing the removal of a human right, something you would think he would uphold as his first duty should be to justice, not the establishment or indeed any government.

In a bizarre statement he says that:

“Being closer than a court of further appeal to the day to day operation of criminal jurisdiction it will, I suggest, have a better appreciation of the operation of the criminal law in the community is serves”.

If that was the case as Lord Hamilton suggests how can he explain the miscarriages of justice away in Scotland? How can he explain away seven judges sitting on the Appeal Court refusing to uphold the rights of people to a fair trial?

Frankly he can’t, this is all about protectionism which leads to injustice for ordinary people, unfortunately this row between the Scottish Government and Westminster seeks ignore that pertinent fact.

What has happened here, is that human rights have been replaced to ‘gifts’ or ‘concessions’ which in the minds of the Appeal Court Judges have been deemed acceptable to replace human rights enshrined in law.

That is the Scottish problem that Holyrood has failed to address, acknowledge or fix.

Lord Hamilton is backing Lord McCluskey, who led a review on the Supreme Court’s role in Scottish law, as one of the four wise men appointed by the Scottish Government.

The report by McCluskey was disappointing but not unexpected; he went for the cheap option of wanting appeals only referred to London with the agreement of judges in Edinburgh by way of a certificate.

Such a situation is in my opinion completely untenable, what does society, the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party fear from justice being done and the law upheld?

This why it is important that the UK Supreme Court who give flawless legal judgments should be retained at present, we in Scotland are too small minded, poor mentally and plain stupid.

The proof of the pudding is rendered in such high profile cases as Peter Cadder and Nat Fraser.

If the Holyrood Parliament and legal establishment were so interested in adopt a similar position to the high Courts of England and Wales, and Northern Ireland then why didn’t they adopt the same system of allowing subjects access to a lawyer which English suspects enjoyed since 1986.

The answer is simple; they didn’t care about being proactive to uphold people’s human rights until being forced to do so.

The reply to Lord Hamilton’s letter should be no thank you!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign forHuman Rights at Glasgow University

Cuts cuts cuts, anger as BBC plans to axe Scottish jobs at BBC Scotland HQ, one third of BBC Radio Scotland's production staff are to lose their jobs!

2012-01-18T16:07:00.005Z

Dear All

A few years ago, the BBC opened Pacific Quay in Glasgow, as the BBC's headquarters in Scotland to much fanfare.

It was super duper.

Now, comes the bad news for staff at the news organisation; one third of BBC Radio Scotland's production staff are to lose their jobs.

Hopefully this will not mean the newscaster reading a story and people walking in and taking the microphone, chairs and table out the door as the person announces their own job losses.

The BBC has its priorities wrong.

Out of 27 people eight radio production journalists are getting canned, and given their occupation they might have to relocate elsewhere to find work.

This is unfortunate but it is always those at the bottom who seem to suffer most when the axe is getting wielded.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said she continues to have "deep concerns" over the impact of the changes.

She said:

"We have previously sought assurances that the quality of the BBC's output in Scotland, particularly in relation to news and current affairs, will not suffer as a consequence of these cuts.

"At a time of such momentous importance for our nation, I continue to have deep concerns about the potential impact of these job losses and programming cutbacks.

"I understand the BBC is being forced to make difficult decisions because of the damaging licence fee settlement imposed by the UK Government.

"This reinforces why it is so essential that Scotland has greater accountability and responsibility for broadcasting."

If broadcasting was a devolved issue, instead of a reserved matter, these job losses would still be taking place, let us not have any delusions about that.

As Ms. Hsylop has highlighted the “damaging licence fee settlement imposed by the UK Government”, does she therefore support an increase in the licence fee and if so, by how much?

Scottish television output could be characterised by a simple statement.

Truly fu*king awful!

Being Scottish, I cringe when I see some of the dross produced, my pet hate is the Scottish football phone in where pundits and the public discuss the weighty matters of football from the armchair perspective.

I want to slit my wrists when these bastards are on, how anyone can think this has any value is beyond me.

I am not a football supporter as you may have guessed.

A BBC insider said last night:

"People are angry and disappointed. They are worried about their jobs and they are worried about the programmes themselves – these are the staff that produce GMS and Newsdrive and John Beattie's show – and they are the programmes that are important and which they are proud of. Obviously this is an important time in Scotland, there is a huge political debate and the timing of these cuts couldn't be worse. People concerned about public service broadcasting will find this a worry."

A spokesman for the BBC said that Ken MacQuarrie, director of BBC Scotland, had outlined staff cuts last year and yesterday's announcement was part of that cuts plan.

He added:

"These are part of the plan that will save 100 to 120 staff positions over the next four or five years, and we hope to do that, as much as is possible, through voluntary redundancy”.

Maybe the corporation could take some of the money that it invests in ‘stars’ and like Warner Brothers invest in talent development.

Does anyone find people like Graham Norton and his show remotely funny or witty; it is a pile of low cost utter shit.

What happened to quality in broadcasting, the Weekend World, the World in Action, and other serious informative debate programming that open people’s eyes to ideas?

Tough luck on the rear echelon, it seems they are walking.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Unemployment in Scotland up by 19,000; local government needs reform, its time to stop talking about potholes and dog shit, Glaswegians want solutions

2012-01-18T15:16:00.004Z

Dear All

We all know that we are in the middle of tough economic times, but actually we are just at the start, just skimming the surface of the vast amounts of cuts that will be coming down the pipeline.

People, a record number of people are out of work in Scotland.

In the last 3 months unemployment has risen by 19,000.

The total number of people unemployed in Scotland stands at a shocking 231,000.

Councils are cutting budgets which will see jobs and services cutback to levels that people will scarcely think possible.

Council elections are looming, but so far the debate hasn’t started on local government reform, we are living through an Obamaesque people were people in political parties think if they mutter the word ‘change’ that will replace substance.

Currently there are moves by some people to down play this election by lowering it to potholes and dog shit.

Glasgow has real financial problems, unemployment problems, infrastructure problems, facilities problems, housing problems and other social problems too numerous to mention.

Who gives a fuck about dog shit?

The labour market statistics put the Scottish unemployment rate at 8.6% - higher than the UK average of 8.4%.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said the figures are a clear signal that focus must be on getting the economy "back to health".

He also said:

"We have to get Scotland back to work and it is imperative we keep making the right decisions to support and grow our economy. Restoring confidence and stability will require work across every sector and I will continue to meet with a wide variety of businesses and organisations in the coming weeks and months. Tackling youth unemployment continues to be a major focus and I will chair a major national event on the issue in March to build on the seminars held throughout Scotland over the last year”.

Adding:

“We are taking practical steps through the UK Government's Youth Contract, a 1 billion initiative backed by business and aimed directly at helping the young unemployed into work. There is no doubt it will take the committed efforts of both of Scotland's governments to overcome the scourge of joblessness among our young people and I will work with the Scottish Government, agencies, civic Scotland and anyone else to get people back into jobs. There has been a lot of interest in the constitution and the uncertainty surrounding Scotland's future in the last few days but Scotland should know nothing will divert this government from the challenges we face in creating long-term, sustainable jobs."

This is a lot of talk about doesn’t address the core problems of the economic; we can’t grow our way out of this problem because there is a massive black hole of debt.

There needs to be a whole industrial scale overhaul of the entire economy and the banking system sits at the centre of everything that is wrong.

We need the creation of a City Banks scheme much in the same way as savings and loan, this idea isn’t new but it is essential to reconstruct the country along a different model that see the building of liquidity and surplus.

A while ago I blogged on the idea of a City Sovereign Fund City and Town, the idea is turn local government into a more commercial focused entity while still have the public sector base. Rather than just accept their ‘giro’ from the Scottish Government, revenues streams would be developed.

The current local government set up helps no one, everyone is complaining about poor services, delays and a ‘can’t do’ attitude.

Scotland has to reform local government; unfortunately no one has articulated a vision beyond soundbytes.

Spouting the word ‘change’ when for the last five years you have sat on your arse and achieved nothing isn’t a track record.

Who gives a fuck about dog shit?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Stricken cruise liner captain abandon ship before passengers and then refused to go back when ordered, how many lives did he cost?

2012-01-17T14:19:00.006Z

Dear All

In ye olde days, a Captain was expected to go down with his ship or at least be the last man off, women and children would be placed in the lifeboats first.

However times change and Francesco Schettino, the Costa Concordia's captain decided to abandon ship and leave the passengers to their fate.

Hundreds of people placed in danger because he didn’t do his job.

He allegedly mislead the coastguard as to numbers of passengers still trapped on the ship, but allegedly was said to be willing to return to pick up the black box.

The crew mutinied when they realise that the Captain was incapable of handling the situation and gave the order to abandon the stricken vessel.

Proof of the 'mutiny' came from coastguard vessels at the scene, who reported seeing several lifeboats in the water before Schettino had officially given the order at just before 11pm.

Safety of passengers should have been his top priority, why wasn’t it.

A Coastguard source said:

“Ten minutes is just not enough time to have launched the number of boats that were seen in the water. That's why we believe that once the ship had started to list, crew members realised the seriousness of the situation and ordered passengers to the lifeboats ahead of the captain giving the order.”

Society is collapsing into a nasty, personal me me me society, Captain Francesco Schettino is just an example how society is breaking and collapsing as moral and civic values collapse.

What a pathetic individual.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Ex Tory Holyrood Candidate and Preacher John Smart jailed over campaign of child abuse, abit hard to sell a Scottish Tory membership now Ruth!

2012-01-17T13:57:00.007Z

Dear All

Recently the Scottish Tories under Scotland’s Maggie Thatcher Ruth Davidson launched a membership drive.

Come join the Scottish Conservative they cried.

If anyone had taken up that offer previously, they might have run across Tory Holyrood Candidate John Smart.

He has just been jailed for eight years for a 15-year campaign of child abuse.

Come join the Scottish Tories?

No, thanks Ruth!

John Smart 48, preyed on three youngsters he met at the Edinburgh City Mission, this is an old tactic for paedophiles who work themselves into positions that gain them access to the vulnerable.

The scope of ‘Tory boy’s actions are extreme, as he abused one of his victims when the boy was just three years old.

After conviction Judge Lady Dorrian has placed Smart on the sex offenders' register and he is to be monitored in the community for three years after his release.

At the High Court in Glasgow, she told Smart:

"The social enquiry report points out that these offences were planned, intrusive and involved a significant degree of planning.

"Your victims were vulnerable. You pose a sufficiently significant risk to children to merit a lengthy sentence."

Solicitor advocate John Keenan, defending, said that Smart, a first offender, continued to protest his innocence.

The parents of his victims believed he was a devout Christian and as such he got access to take the youngsters to play parks and swimming pools.

Instead Smart, of Christian Crescent, Edinburgh, used the time alone with them to carry out the abuse.

Well, I guess this episode might focus minds why Scotland hates Tories; they prey on the vulnerable, the weak and defenceless.

I think Ruth Davidson might not be talking about Tory values and particularly Tory family values for a few weeks.

Might leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the Scottish public!

Murdo Fraser was right the Scottish Tories need to fold their tents and start again from scratch.

A 15-year campaign of child abuse, unbelievable but sadly not.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Tom Harris Downfall spoof was poor, here is the real deal in comedy political spoofs, classic and witty

2012-01-16T16:34:00.003Z

70% of Labour supporters say they don't believe in Ed Milliband anymore, someone better ask him does he know the phrase, ‘do you want fires with that’

2012-01-16T15:43:00.007Z

Dear All

A while ago, I commented that Ed Miliband had an image problem, he needed to go to political boot camp and get toughen up.

He obviously has brains, seems to some extent, on some issues, to be making the right noises but people are tuning out.

We have an unpopular Tory Government, with an incredibly unpopular Lib Dem attachment as a coalition partner.

Things are going south for him as he has been deemed 'too ugly' to become prime minister. On top of his problems, Ed Miliband has been dealt another blow after it was revealed that 70 per cent of people don't believe in him.

70% is absolutely mind blowing when you consider that the Labour Party has PR gurus, style doctors and spin doctors and everything else.

How do you fix a problem like Ed?

There must be a telly show in there somewhere, I can feel it.

A YouGov poll gives him his worst rating since winning the Labour leadership.

The country is going down the toilet and he is drifting, how can someone so bright be so stupid?

Even his own supporters are turning away from him. Luke Bozier, a party member for five years, wrote:

“At a time when the nation needs strong political leadership, Labour offers nothing”.

Luke Bozier posted an an article about why he recently switched allegiance to the Conservatives.

The truth of that pudding is that Scottish Holyrood election result, the Labour Party was seen as not being credible as the next government under poor leadership that resulted in them going nothing for 4 years at Holyrood.

And they paid the price for that weak leadership.

Ed Miliband put himself forward to be a leader of men, the trouble with him he didn’t have the tools in place to do the job.

He isn’t a leader of anyone at present.

So, what should Ed Miliband do?

Ed Miliband’s problem according to Labour MPs on Saturday night is to stop copying David Cameron and start showing some leadership of his own. Mirroring is a successful sales tactic used by business to sell goods and services, but who exactly is Miliband trying to sell to?

Why become a Cameron Mk2 when he could be a Miliband Mk1?

Why buy into the Tory narrative?

When Luke Bozier let rip he said that Yvette Cooper and Ed Balls were 'out-of-touch', Brownite career politicians.

10 points

He criticises the wider party saying it has been taken over by student politicians and is unable to 'put aside its tribal prejudice and ideology'.

10 points!

He wrote:

“Ed Miliband is a leader that Labour MPs and Labour members didn't want. He was forced upon them by the Trade Unions and like most people, I wasn't happy with the result”.

10 points!

“I tried for as long as I could to give Ed the benefit of the doubt. But look what it's come to, with the party and the leader now a national laughing stock. Rarely in British history has a leader become so quickly defined by humiliating questions about his looks and personality”.

10 points!

Spot on analysis from Luke Bozier.

When Miliband goes to the despatch box he acts and sounds like a whining pathetic individual, the style, the presentation is all wrong. You don't go to the despatch box to whine, you go there to lay down the law and put the Government on notice.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Tom Harris quits media post over Hitler joke video called Joan’s Downfall, how ironic since it appears he engineered his own, now its Tom’s

2012-01-16T15:02:00.005Z

Dear All

Recently Tom Harris stood to be the leader of the Labour Party in Scotland.

He came in last in a three horse race; he got less than 10% if memory serves me right.

Harris like me does a bit of blogging and tweeting, he is a controversial figure at times within the Labour Party, however; there are dangers in blogging as he has just put his foot in it.

He has had to step down from his internet adviser role after he posted a joke video portraying First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond as Hitler.

Tom Harris has apologised for his actions. He was only given the post of the party's new media guru after Johann Lamont was elected leader.

It was a short appointment.

His downfall was funnily enough using footage from 2004 movie, Downfall; many people have used this footage with the funniest being ‘in the bunker after Glasgow East’. This features a spoof on Gordon Brown going radio rental after John Mason won the Glasgow East by-election in 2008.

If you haven’t seen this spoof I highly recommend it, it had me in tears when I first watched it. Comedy has a part to play in politics as the SNP demonstrated with their spoof Life of Brian video but you have to be careful.

The SNP reacting to the Harris video have described it as "tasteless" and said it was "hugely embarrassing" for the Labour Party.

Mr Harris published his version of the video, titled "Joan's Downfall", following a row involving SNP MSP Joan McAlpine. She recently claimed unionist parties were being "anti-Scottish" in their attitude to the planned independence referendum.

This led Jackson Carlaw to issue a charge of political racism at her.

In hitting the bricks, the Labour MP for Glasgow South said:

"Having spoken to Johann, I have decided to step down from leading the party's social media review”.

An SNP spokesperson said:

“It is silly, negative nonsense like this that helps explain why Labour are in the doldrums in Scotland.”

I haven’t seen Harris’s spoof so I can’t comment on Harris’s version but as I previously blogged the indy referendum is going to be a nasty bad tempered affair on both sides.

Tom Harris’s Downfall video spoof was his downfall, how ironic.

In this short exchange of crossfire across no man’s land there was no one killed, but Tom Harris took one in an embarrassing position.

Surgeons are expected to operate later today to remove his foot from his mouth and Labour leader Johann Lamont’s boot from his ass, Ms. Lamont is currently experiencing pain from the incident but has been assured by hospital staff that she still qualifies for jelly and ice cream afterwards since it is an NHS operation.

Rumours she will ask for seconds remain pure speculation at this time as does a claim for new footwear damaged in the line of duty. She will be unable to claim this through MSP expenses since it is a party matter.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine defends 'anti-Scottish' claim on BBC, Labour MP Anas Sarwar asks her, "Am I anti-Scottish?", gloves are off now!

2012-01-13T13:33:00.006Z

Dear All

On the back of the warfare on independence, we have our first piece of ‘hand to hand’ fighting in the trenches.

SNP list MSP Joan McAlpine has accused the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems were being "anti-Scottish" in their attitude to the planned independence referendum.

The verbal attack happened at Holyrood on Thursday which prompted Scotland’s Maggie Thatcher, Ruth Davidson to say that the comments were "ignorant and petty" while Labour MSP Neil Findlay chipped by saying they were an "utter disgrace".

And things didn’t get any better when she went on BBC Scotland’s Call Kaye programme hosted by Kay Adams.

On that programme she stated how shocked she was by Labour MPs congratulating the Tory-led government for intervening in Scotland.

Ms McAlpine told BBC Scotland's Call Kaye programme:

"They have been lining up in cahoots with the Tories. They have been lining up to congratulate the Tories for intervening into Scottish democracy and I will let the people of Scotland draw their own conclusions from that."

Ms McAlpine, Alex Salmond's parliamentary liaison officer, added:

"The issue here is the behaviour of the anti-independence parties coming together to stop Scotland having a referendum at a time of our choosing."

Sitting with her on that programme was Scottish Labour's deputy leader Anas Sarwar who studied a dental degree at human rights abusing Glasgow University. He joined the boxing club for a period while I was a coach; he loved to talk about how rich his father was from their cash and carry business.

So, in a fiery exchange between two, Sarwar said:

"What is being questioned here is my commitment and my love of my country. The country in which I was born and brought up, the country to which my grandfather came in 1939 with nothing and made a life for himself. This is really serious."

He then said to Ms McAlpine:

"Am I anti-Scottish?"

Ms McAlpine, the SNP MSP for South of Scotland said he was trying to "personalise" her comments and she would not be drawn into that.

From now to polling day of the independence referendum, I think we can be certain that this ‘debate’ will be a fairly bad tempered and nasty affair.

I don’t think that Ms McAlpine has acquitted herself well from this incident, it looks poor and doesn't play well with the public or even with me as an SNP member.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

US Marines filmed urinating on dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan is posted online, US launches investigation, this is a wicked act of callousness

2012-01-12T16:47:00.005Z

Dear All

Warfare isn’t glamorous and in combat it is a soldier’s job to kill or capture the enemy.

There are strict rules that govern the behaviour of soldiers and how they treat others by way of military regulations and the Geneva Convention.

US Marines fighting in Afghanistan are engaged in a bitter fight with the Taliban, it is an unwinnable war because there can be no final battle in this unconventional war.

A video has come to light that US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta appears to show US Marines urinating on the corpses of Afghans.

Panetta says that the act is "utterly deplorable" and that a full investigation will be held to hold those accountable "to the fullest extent".

If it wasn’t for the rise of social media on a worldwide scale, such events would be unknown to us and of course we would see the denial immediately issued as standard practice.

Four US Marines in the video are seen standing over the bodies of several Taliban fighters, all dead, with at least one of whom is covered in blood.

Who shot the video remains not known.

Commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen has been ordered to investigate the incident.

Panetta said after he had seen the footage:

"I find the behaviour depicted in it utterly deplorable. This conduct is entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military."

There wasn’t much else he could say, apart from the physical act, the mentality behind it does suggest that a degree of callous for human life and disrespect has set in. If US Marines are prepared to act in such a fashion, what else are they prepared to do?

The Pentagon has also responded by saying that it is checking the authenticity of the video, but there is nothing to indicate that the film is not genuine.

Panetta isn’t disputing the authenticity.

The military is now in full damage-limitation mode because such acts give rise to anti American feeling beyond the borders of Afghanistan. And with the Americans trying to draw down their military operations due to cuts, this incident may prove regretful in more ways than one.

The Americans have never recovered from Abu Ghraib and other incidents were serious abuse was inflicted on detainees.

The US has about 20,000 Marines deployed in Afghanistan, based mostly in Kandahar and Helmand provinces. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
Such acts do give motivation to the Taliban to commit further acts and doesn’t win over the population to support the NATO mission.

A statement from the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Kabul said the behaviour "dishonours the sacrifices and core values of every service member representing the fifty nations of the coalition."

In an earlier statement, President Karzai's office said:

"The government of Afghanistan is deeply disturbed by a video that shows American soldiers desecrating dead bodies of three Afghans. This act by American soldiers is simply inhuman and condemnable in the strongest possible terms. We expressly ask the US government to urgently investigate the video and apply the most severe punishment to anyone found guilty in this crime."

Whoever, these Marines are, they have broken military discipline and should be punished, but more than that, they should be removed from operations in Afghanistan and tried by a military court.

This is an incident that will not be forgotten and will not sit well with the population, desecrating bodies in war time is an unforgivable act.

There is no way that any damage limitation can make this better.

This makes peace talks all the more difficult for the Americans, however Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the video "is not a political process, so the video will not harm our talks and prisoner exchange because they are at the preliminary stage".

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

SNP calls vote on independence, trip to the UK Supreme Court regarding referendum legality as Westminster fights back looks likely now!

2012-01-11T15:15:00.010Z

Dear All

There is a line I like which goes something like this, in a court of law whoever tells the best story wins.

In the last few days the lead has been flying back and forth across the border between the Westminster and Holyrood Governments.

This is over the independence referendum which has been announced to take place provisionally in the autumn of 2014.

I have blogged that it might have been somewhere between March and June 2014, the rational for autumn is that the European election is expected mid 2014.

Either way, the independence campaign will have to run in parallel with that campaign because there is no other choice.

Mid 2014 also sees the Commonwealth Games and other activities being planned so; it is going to be a crowded schedule politically.

We now have threats of legal action from Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, so no one is prepared to budge, we can expect a trip to court at either Scottish level or UK Supreme Court level if this all goes sideways.

And I expect it to since the idea that 16 and 17 years will be given the vote,won’t fly,and will invalidate the entire referendum.

So, what would happen if this mess winds up in the UK Supreme Court as constitutional issues are reserved matters?

Then the Scottish Government will see that they are in the same position as they were in during the Cadder Case, arguing for something that they are not entitled to do.

With not a leg to stand on!

It was wrong for the Westminster Government to try and bounce the Holyrood Parliament into an early election; however this led the Scottish Government to quickly announce a date within 24 hours.

On Tuesday 25th October 2011, I wrote this post.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-is-date-for-scottish-independence.html

I came within about circa a month or so, it wasn’t difficult to work out the time frame in a general sense.

In fact, it was quite easy, it only took me a few minutes to analyse this.

Alex Salmond has now moved on to speak of the three-month public consultation plan which details the process leading up to the historic vote.

The nuts and bolts of this, I will blog on when I see the material and give an opinion on that, however, the idea that 16 and 17 year olds will get the right to vote will become unstuck pretty damn quick if the SNP continues to push this.

This isn’t going to happen and be seen as a legitimate referendum vote.

Just as the Northern Ireland Assembly can be suspended, so can the Scottish Parliament and the powers transferred back to the British State.

Holyrood can be shutdown.

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said:

"It is rather sad that a First Minister of Scotland keeps his plans for the constitutional future of our nation secret, doesn't tell the Scottish Parliament, but goes on TV because a debate at Westminster might keep him out of the headlines. We deserve better. This is about the future of Scotland, not the profile of Alex Salmond. This issue deserves calm consideration – not a panicked response from a panicked First Minister."

She added:

"We need to know there will be just one question, what that question is, and that the Electoral Commission will administer it. The First Minister should hold cross-party talks – including all quarters of civic Scotland – to discuss these details, including the date."

Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson said:

"Decisive action by the UK Government has forced his hand. We can discuss times and dates as part of the consultation, but the key issues for me are what is the question and who is the referee? Alex Salmond should be embracing the offer of more powers to hold a proper, real referendum. We are offering a fair, legal and decisive vote. Why wouldn't Alex Salmond want that?"

LibDem Holyrood leader Willie Rennie said:

"Announcing autumn 2014 as high-noon in the fight to protect Scotland's future as part of the UK family doesn't address the issue of ensuring the Scottish people decide the outcome, not the courts."

Fellow LibDem Sir Menzies Campbell said:

"If there are those who are so confident of the case for independence why is it they are unwilling to countenance a referendum now? Could it be the bravehearts are no longer quite so brave as they have been before?"

So, the unionist camp are on the attack now, at present it is a ‘phoney war’, if ends up in Court then all hell will break loose.

I think that we will end up at the UK Supreme Court the way things are going.

Alex Salmond said the referendum should be ‘made in Scotland, built in Scotland and run in Scotland’.

I have no problem with that but Alex Salmond and his advisors should think very carefully whether having this artificial argument is worth the damage to reputation for competence that the Scottish Government has built up.

It took years for Alex Salmond to build up the reputation of the Scottish Government as a competent government and it will takes only days to destroy it.

Once your reputation is damaged by your own hand, it is hard to get it back.

LibDem Sir Menzies Campbell said:

“Could it be the bravehearts are no longer quite so brave as they have been before?"

Brave enough in some quarters Menzies.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Unrest among ‘University of Guantanemo Bay’ staff in Glasgow sees 60% of them remain unconvinced over radical reforms, what about running burger van?

2012-01-10T12:38:00.005Z

Dear All

The majority have spoken at the ‘University of Guantanemo Bay’ in Glasgow run by corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli.

Human rights abusing Glasgow University is one of Scotland's oldest universities founded by a papel bull in 1453.

The year is 2012 and the bull is still there in two places, at the Vet School and out of the senior management’s mouth.

We can only hope they brush their teeth in the morning before breathing over anyone they come into contact with.

At ‘the bay’ there has been a series of measures introduced as part of a radical overhaul of its structures.

The staff have been less than impressed, in a poll at Glasgow University found some 60% were unconvinced the revamp had been beneficial.

And we should remember that corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli has already had a vote of no confidence passed against him but still he hangs about rather like a bad smell coming out of a septic tank with no chemicals in it.

After the revamp half of academics said they were unclear of what is expected of them.

Presumably work.

Last month, a report was written by Andrea Nolan who stated that officials from the university had over-reaching themselves in implementing the biggest shake-up of the institution for decades.

Big blue sky thinking is obviously a problem when not backed up with genuine genius.

An internal report by Andrea Nolan stated what everyone who has watched these characters knew that when they do something, rather than things going smoothly, it was destined to end in a f*ck up.

To replace nine academic faculties with four colleges in one year was "over-ambitious" especially in a crony ridden pit such as Glasgow University.

Tunnel vision caused the problems to be compounded due to the financial climate, which saw 264 staff hitting the bricks and leaving as the university declared that it had to save £20 million through cuts.

Add to that the continuation of a money grab scheme to attract overseas students and jack up their fees to ‘get an earner’ via 58 new mater’s degree programme.

Then came the big white elephant called mycampus, a £14 million student enrolment website which sank much like the titanic, because most of it didn’t work properly causing the staff to have a greater workload.

Then a mini ‘arab spring’ happened as the occupation of the Hetherington Research Club by students and a botched attempt to evict them hit the headlines.

Anton’s storm troopers aided by the Police raided the club and brought along a helicopter in case they needed air support, however the helicopter wasn’t armed and no one died however some students were allegedly slammed up against a wall.

Violence returned to the campus much like the bad old days of Stevenson Building run by the disgusting animal Julie Ommer and her staff thugs.

Machete in a staff locker anyone!

Perhaps Muscatelli will run with my idea that he sets up a burger van that way they can rip off the taxman much in the same way they rip off the working class.

Corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli Principal.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Open warfare erupts as the SNP attacks Tory/Lib Dem Coalition as poll row escalates, referendum with strings rejected by SNP

2012-01-10T11:56:00.009Z

Dear All

They say that a week in politics is a long time, over the last 24 hours the independence referendum has become a hot potato in the UK.

David Cameron's Cabinet colleagues last night began openly hinting they would call their own vote.

They want Alex Salmond to accept their proposals on how the referendum is conducted however it is expected that the First Minister will rejected their proposal for conditions outright.

The stick that the UK Government is using to beat the nationalist government is that the uncertainty is damaging the Scottish economy.

Transfer of total sovereignty isn’t really an issue as major businesses have set up shop in Scotland and will continue to do so.

One of the UK Government conditions to their offer is that there will be a ban on under-18s voting.

This idea for 16 and 17-year-olds to be allowed to take part was never a serious prospect that Westminster would allow in my opinion, it was fantasy politics.

Alex Salmond’s call for 16 and 17-year-olds to be allowed to take part wouldn’t even get out of the starting gate nevermind take part in the race.

Michael Moore, the LibDem Scottish Secretary is to speak at Westminster today to tell MPs that it is right to attach strings to both the timing of the vote and the question asked.

A Scottish Office spokesman said:

"The statement will be about how the UK Government can facilitate a legal, fair and decisive referendum."

Fighting back the Scottish Government insisted yesterday that only it had the mandate to call an independence vote.

They won the Scottish election, however there are two governments in Scotland and only the Westminster Government has the legal authority regarding the referendum, not Holyrood.

And that is the problem.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the party would stick to its guns and hold the poll in the second half of the current Holyrood parliament.

As I previously blogged that would mean mid 2014 in order to prepare the ground for a Westminster campaign in the event of a no vote!

Giving interviews yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said that there was a body of opinion which favours a question on extra powers for Holyrood and the so called devo-max option which no one has twigged is unworkable.

Devo-max requires a Westminster Bill and that requires Westminster MPs to vote through this proposal, which I suspect wouldn’t happen.

Devo-max requires English MPs to dance to a Scottish Jig, much in the same way as the tail wagging the dog concept.

There are only 6 SNP Westminster MPs.

Devo-max isn’t going anywhere; it is a pipedream, pure fantasy politics, much like a consolation prize, it is a stop gap if things don’t work out to salvage something if the independence vote fails.

The only people in politics talking devo-max are the SNP within the context of the independence referendum, when challenged which other party supported this question Nicola Sturgeon was forced onto the back foot repeatedly by saying that other parties’ views change daily.

In the context of the referendum, all UK parties are of the same mind; they want one question and one question only and don’t want the water muddied by the second question on devo-max.

I don’t see their position changing and giving the SNP two bites at the cherry, its all or nothing as far as they are concerned.

The fight will continue because no one is willing to give an inch.

If the SNP decide to go ahead with allowing 16 and 17-year-olds being allowed to take part in the vote, then there exists the possibility that Westminster Government will not recognise the result or go further and block the referendum on technical grounds via a Scottish Court.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Prime MInister David Cameron fires off a broadside and challenge to Alex Salmond over referendum, he wants vote to be "legal, fair and decisive"

2012-01-09T15:48:00.011Z

Dear All

The Unionists are on the ‘warpath’, so it seems, with David Cameron throwing down the gauntlet to Alex Salmond.

Cameron is looking for a quick referendum because he thinks that this will ensure the continuation of the United Kingdom.

In the last parliament, the SNP said that they would have a referendum during the course of that Parliament; they abandoned it because they didn’t have the numbers.

Even if they could have got it through, it would have been the wrong time because I have always believed that two full terms must be served in order to show competence and they would have lost it under the political landscape in Scotland at that time.

After the landslide victory of the SNP in May 2011, they pledged again to hold it in the latter half of the second term.

And they have the numbers to push it through Holyrood.

However, the referendum has a number of issues connected to it, of a legal nature that needs to be addressed before anyone can start talking about what the question might be.

Cameron wants Alex Salmond to accept an offer from Westminster that would enable Holyrood to hold a legally binding referendum on Scottish independence but there is a catch, he wants the offer to be time-limited.

The poll would have to be held before August 2013.

This would be about a year or 15 months of campaigning with activists expected to work two elections back to back.

And there are several problems with that, namely that there is lack of knowledge and personnel to get the message out at a local level in a manner that is direct and personal to the voters.

The referendum is a ‘special’ politically; it requires a different approach than the run of the mill campaigns.

In Pollok Constituency, on average circa 6 activists generally turn out to service a population of 60,000.

So, each activist would have to contact 10,000 people and speak to them. On average an SNP Activist on a workday of 2 hours would deliver in the region of 200 leaflets and as we know, 98% of unsolicited mail just gets chucked straight into the bin.

So, for 2 hours work plus travelling time which is an hour each side of the work day, the activist has delivered one leaflet per hour that is read.

Plus the SNP has decided to have a membership drive, seems fine in principle, I even wrote about this prior to the SNP announcement away back in July 2010 and how that should be done.

Where are the people going to come from to do that work?

And since this is effectively a sales pitch, how can people sell an SNP Membership when the members haven’t had any sales training?

Also if they ‘sell’ a membership what are they offering as an incentive to join?

Unfortunately the SNP like many political parties hasn’t evolved to offer enough options for members to take up.

I also wrote about that previously and raised the issue with Nicola Sturgeon that Glasgow needs its own stand alone training hub.

Unfortunately that idea was one of a number of ideas for a new type of SNP which offers the members more than they currently get, not taken up.

I wanted to see install a learning culture at branch level, but was met by such a hostile reaction to my idea, apparently dumb and ignorant is more preferably which probably explains why there so few people are willing to be SNP Activists in branches as a percentage of the total branch membership.

‘Not my problem anymore’.

To return to Cameron, he says that if Alex Salmond fails to take up his offer, then Westminster will seize the initiative and hold its own referendum.

I think this idea was always on the table by the unionists.

I previously blogged the earliest that independence referendum could be held was mid 2014 allowing the SNP an 18 month campaign which might have a realistic chance of success.

If the unionists timetable is pushed through, then the current Council Campaign would have to be effectively abandoned and given lip service in favour of the independence campaign which would have to come to the fore.

So, what should Alex Salmond do?

Well, issue a statement that the Scottish Government wouldn’t be threatened and make plans if it all goes sideways and they are forced into an early referendum.

A recent poll of 500 Scots, conducted by Ipsos Mori for the new think-tank BritishFuture puts support in Scotland for independence at 29%.

17% were don't-knows.

One poll isn’t enough as support for anything and anyone is always volatile, however 54% of people want the nation to remain part of the UK.

In 2010, during the Westminster election the SNP went into that election with 7 MPs, they finished with 6. Alex Salmond was predicting the possibility of somewhere in the region of 20.

Not a single new MP was delivered, which begs the question why isn’t the SNP seen as a credible force at the ‘big boys house’ of Westminster?

Cameron was blunt when he said:

"It's very unfair on the Scottish people themselves, who don't really know when this question is going to be asked, what the question is going to be, who's responsible for asking it. We owe the Scottish people something that is fair, legal and decisive."

At present, the SNP think they are playing a carefully crafted game by saying: ‘we aren’t telling you when we are having the referendum’.

Personally, I don’t think this is clever, if they had gone with my date of June 2014 then everyone would be better off and Cameron wouldn’t have oxygen to threaten.

There are many in the SNP who need to learn that there is a difference to being clever and thinking you’re clever.

I would suspect that Cameron’s threat is laying the ground work for what will be a series of future legal challenges on the question and other aspects of the referendum by others.

And we should not forget that Westminster, as the constitutional authority are the only people who can hold a legally binding poll but Westminster has the power to alter the Scotland Bill to allow such a referendum to take place.

That may come with a time limit because the unionists know no party has finite resources or personnel available for an active campaign.

There might be a majority in Holyrood for the SNP, but in Westminster it is 6 in a sea of 650.

So,we should name the day and start to close down avenues, it is called being proactive to solve problems before they occur.

Proper planning prevents piss poor performance.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Thomas Docherty challenges SNP on navy under independence, Labour wants a pledge to an aircraft carrier, have IQ’s dropped sharply recently?

2012-01-07T15:05:00.009Z

Dear All

In Scotland some people are called ‘Bams’.

A ‘bam’ is an idiot who has no awareness of what is going on around him or her.

Bams come in many shapes and sizes; the Labour Party is littered with them as are other political parties.

Thomas Docherty is a Labour MP, that doesn't auomatically make him a ‘bam’; he is a self made man however.

His latest outrageous piece of nonsense is to challenge the SNP to commit to the retention of an aircraft carrier in an independent Scotland.

You have to read this request a few times, because of the enormity of the stupidity behind it.

An independent Scotland, a country of 5 million people with an aircraft carrier!

If independence is achieved, initially there will be an army, navy and air force in the transition phase.

Then comes the first defence review which will see a complete overhaul, my preferred option is that there will be two services, a navy and a combined air force and army.

Although the command structure of the military will be kept, it will need to be developed if a two service approach is considered.

I would also envisage in the short term that Sandhurst would probably be used to train officers of the Scottish Armed Forces, possibly in the future there may be an Officers Training School.

Early on, it would be best to draw on the experience already in place.

As to active service, I would imagine that both Nato and UN Peacekeeping Forces would provide that essential operating experience so critical for a standing military.

However, foreign adventures such as those untaken by the British Government would be ruled out, due to cost and possibly ethics.

To return to Mr. Docherty’s proposal that an independent Scotland needs an aircraft carrier, what for?

Fishery protection duties, oil field protection or warning off Russian aircraft entering Scottish airspace?

Maybe Docherty wants an aircraft carrier so that the Labour Party in Scotland can use it for cruising and aircraft flights for the kiddies.

There is no need for an aircraft carrier because Scotland wouldn’t be seeking territory beyond its borders.

The navy wouldn’t be large in any case, Scotland would have to be a member of NATO, although there has been talk of other alliances by some in the SNP but lets us not kid ourselves; membership of NATO isn’t an option to be ignored.

How would I reply to a Nordic defence alliance instead of NATO?

By saying ‘fuck off and grow up’!

If we want to be serious contenders for independence then we have to affirm that we will join NATO and commit to it before an independence vote.

Thomas Docherty is the MP for the Dunfermline and West Fife seat which includes the Rosyth dockyard.

This facilty employs more than 1500 skilled workers, whether in a post independence world the Westminster Government would use Rosyth isn’t certain, however, it would be to the mutual advantage of both governments not to cut their noses off to spite their face.

However, economically, we shouldn't live in hope, and assume and plan for the worst, the loss of contracts, independence isn’t going to be a ‘fun’ event of balloons, champagne popping and highland dancing.

Some people and businesses are going to be under pressure, some may go to the wall.

Anyway, Docherty has asked SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson to back a similar pledge on the aircraft carrier.

Robertson can’t do it and mean it, he might as well pledge a space shuttle and mission to Mars.

Docherty said:

“The lack of detail on the size, shape or type of navy that a separate Scotland would have is causing a great deal of anxiety locally and it is time the SNP came clean. There is no doubt that the loss of the carriers would have a devastating impact and the SNP has a responsibility to make people aware of the full consequences of separation.”

The SNP if it is to win an independence vote has to spell out in great detail how an independent Scotland would look, soundbytes, spin and vague promises aren’t enough, so far these difficult questions haven’t been addressed or even answered.

It isn’t convincing to say to people just vote yes and we will sort it out later, not when people’s personal lives will be affected by this vote.

Is there a blueprint for a new Scotland?

As an SNP Member I haven’t seen it or haven’t a clue if it even exists, if this work hasn’t been done, then it is highly unlikely that an independence vote will be successful.

Independence can only be won on detail.

It can’t be won by spin or ‘Alex Salmond for First Minister’ because this isn’t a vote about a personality, it is much bigger than any individual person; people will look beyond that.

If Docherty wants an aircraft carrier pledge he can whistle because he isn’t getting one and if anyone commits to building one for a Scottish Navy then they are a fool who are patently incapable of holding public office were big decisions are required.

Thomas Docherty is a ‘bam’; he should play his silly little political games elsewhere and should not be indulged.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Diane Abbott in new ‘race row’ claiming London Cabbies drive past black customers, well what’s the excuse this time, context again?

2012-01-06T15:14:00.003Z

Dear All

Fresh from one almighty row about a racist comment, Diane Abbott has moved forward, straight into another row about racist comments.

From:

"White people love playing 'divide & rule."

We know have her this time accusing London's taxi drivers of driving past black customers.

Her foot again goes back in her mouth, surely hopping about is putting a real strain on her other leg?

Diane Abbott is embroiled in another Twitter row.

She needs to quit tweeting.

Steve McNamara, a spokesman for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said:

"This is a typically silly comment by Diane Abbott and deeply unfair. The modern generation of taxi drivers is as diverse as London itself and most of the knowledge schools now have prayer rooms.

Adding:

"Her comment is a silly stereotype that harks back to the days of 'I don't go south of the river' and 'hanging's too good for them'. It is as outdated and insulting as the stereotype that black people wear woolly hats all the time."

McNamara also added that Ms Abbott had once been a passenger in his cab.

"She has no trouble being picked up - I picked her from a rather trendy mews development about 10 or 12 years ago."

What a good memory he has.

It was only yesterday that Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, was ordered to apologise by Labour leader Ed Miliband.

I blogged yesterday that she should step down as the next gaffe was just around the corner.

George Laird was right again.

Labour Party sources said her comment about taxi drivers would be "looked at" by the leadership.

Maybe she needs a break.

A Labour source said:

"If she had suggested that all London taxi drivers are racist that would clearly be wrong,"

If she can’t play with her ‘toys’ properly then they will just have to be taken off her; Miliband has his own problems but she is acting like a manic with a lit torch in a gunpowder store!

If she keeps this up, she will definitely need both feet on the ground as no one will pick her up in future!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Jim Murphy sets Labour's new strategy a-rolling, agree with the Tories on cuts, Ed Miliband could be David Cameron’s man-servant too!

2012-01-06T11:17:00.004Z

Dear All

It is hilarious that Labour MP Jim Murphy said that the Labour Party should avoid ‘shallow and temporary’ populism over spending cuts.

Where are their policies?

It is said that you can drown in two inches of bath water, if Labour policies were bath water, would anyone get wet?

The idea of mirroring isn’t new but it shows I feel a weakness in the Labour Party, rather than setting the agenda, they opt for trailing behind Cameron and agreeing with him.

It looks to me that the only real disagreement in the Westminster Village is that the Tories are in power and the Labour Party aren’t!

What happened to ideas and vision and big decisions, a blue print for the future?

How can we have a battle of ideas when no one is willing to come up with an idea and campaign for change?

I don’t know how long Ed Miliband has been leader because he hasn’t acted like a leader and frankly for this piece, it isn’t worth the time to google him and find out.

In Scotland, the Labour Party for 4 years from 2007 to 2011, never worked, never produced policies, vision, ideas and thought they were celebrities who just had to sit back and wait their turn to regain power.

Result, a landslide for the SNP as Labour wasn’t seen as credible.

Down south the Labour Party isn’t as inept as their Scottish branch but Miliband is drifting. He doesn’t look like a Prime Minister in waiting, nor does he pass as a statesman, I expect him to come to the despatch box and sell double glazing…at a discount.

Politics shouldn’t be about populism, it shouldn’t be about personalities, it should be about policies, that is the bedrock of politics.

Ed Miliband stands on quicksand and despite flopping about; he isn’t getting anywhere in any direction.

Someone should send Miliband to political boot camp to toughen him up. They say the longest journey starts with a first step, that first step should be getting policies and driving home how much better Britain would be if these were introduced.

Time to fight the fights that need fought.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Report by Anthrax team says that Scottish Government should consider allowing heroin supply issue during periods of contamination, we should do this!

2012-01-06T10:28:00.003Z

Dear All

I have repeated blogged on the need for the legalisation of drugs in Scotland.

There are several reasons for my decision to campaign on this matter.

1/ the drugs market must be bankrupted and taken away from the criminal classes.

2/ money collected could be re-invested in programmes and services to change people’s lives.

3/ ease the burden on NHS by better monitoring of addicts.

4/ unburden the courts and police from the crippling and phoney war on drugs which is a total failure.

And there is another reason; to protect the health of those people who are unfortunately addicts from being exposed to bad and unregulated drugs.

Certain drugs such as tobacco and alcohol are legal, they are taxed and regulated, however; we have seen that both these products kill if taken to excess.

Drugs also can kill, there is no question about that issue; it is widely accepted with stacks of evidence and research.

A recent report into an anthrax outbreak which killed 14 heroin addicts suggests officials should consider prescribing the drug during any future contaminations.

This is a start but it is a piecemeal approach, it is time to be bold, every time an outbreak of anthrax kills addicts, it is in part the fault of the failure of Holyrood Parliament to be bold.

Politicians want to be seen to be ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’; this is the mindset that has been created out of fear of being seen as weak and losing their seats at election time and party support.

And people are dying because of this.

14 heroin addicts are dead because no politician had the courage to save them, in truth it could be argued that these people probably might have died anyway.

But we do know they certainly died due to intransigence.

The National Anthrax Outbreak Control Team (NAOCT) says the Scottish Government could "usefully give this aspect further consideration" as guidance on the issue would be helpful for Outbreak Control Teams (OCTs) and addiction services.

Report author Dr Colin Ramsay, chairman of NAOCT is on the right track, but this is a political decision.

Legalisation of drugs is so big an issue for some politicians and the scale of the problem so huge that they are unwilling to speak up or act.

Ramsay added it was now relevant for consideration by Government officials.
This issue should be looked at again in the interests of public health.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Scotland's 'Maggie Thatcher' Ruth Davidson sets out her 'terror' stall, a new nightmare for the poor and cash for her Tory buddies, this is vision?

2012-01-05T16:17:00.008Z

Dear All

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has spoken.

She is a ‘carpetbagger’; a woman who is publicly unelectable who only became an MSP by way of the discredited undemocratic Holyrood list system.

Making a series of policy speeches to set out the Scottish Tories stall, the vision just isn’t there.

Anyway, someone believes this ‘balloon’ should be given the oxygen of publicity as she calls for changes to the economy, with a smaller state and bigger private sector.

Tories want a smaller state to help out their rich Tory backers and supporters at the expense of the public.

In an odd statement she said decades of socialism have dampened Scotland's natural capacity for enterprise.

Sheer drivel!

What planet is she on?

And of course, a dig at the poor she said that the "something-for-nothing society" was over.

Didn’t she get ‘something for nothing’, a list MSP spot were the top Glasgow contender was removed by the party.

She never earned her place.

Never!

Davidson also promised a wholesale review of her party's policies.

Sheer drivel, she hasn’t got vision, it will be the same window just differently dressed; she and the Scottish Tories aren’t going anywhere.

The Scottish Tories face tough electoral times because they are the walking dead politically.

The party returned to Holyrood in May with fewer MSPs despite a robust performance by Annabel Goldie.

Not good enough though.

Westminster 2010, the last general election saw the Tories win just one seat in Scotland.

Davidson says:

"Our purpose is to decisively shift the balance of power from the hands of politicians into the hands of people and local communities."

She went on:

"All over Europe, economic chickens are coming home to roost. The dream of permanent growth and ever-increasing prosperity stands exposed as a collective delusion; a fantasy built on debt. Countries that have been living beyond their means, with unaffordable expenditure and cosseting of public sector workers, are being forced to relearn the harsh economic facts of life."

Local power to communities cannot solve the banking crisis and we cannot grow our way out of debt either.

Another odd statement by Davidson is when she said Scotland had to ask itself whether it wanted to become like Greece, "borrowing and spending vast sums of other people's money in the hope and expectation of never being called to account", or like Germany, where "saving is a virtue and debt is shameful".

Scotland isn’t a sovereign country so the analogy doesn’t make any sense.

And if Davidson was awake recently she may have noticed that the Germany Bond market sale of German Government Bonds was a disaster.

She also said:

"The something-for-nothing society is over. Nobody who is able to work should be allowed by choice to live off the rest of us without contributing”.

An attack on the unemployed who never caused the financial crisis, then her rant continues:
.
"My vision for Scotland is a positive one. We are a resourceful people, responsible for many of the world's greatest inventions. Our ingenuity and endurance has built business empires and spread commerce across the globe. Decades of socialism have dampened our natural capacity for enterprise and hard work but the flame still burns."

Other than shoring up the banks by the savings of private individuals and punishing the poor, handing more money to the rich, how is that a vision?

This is the new vision, a series of rants and platitudes, its all the poor’s fault.

She added:

"Nothing will be off the table for discussion; there will be no 'no go areas'."

Does that include asking her to solely stand for a constituency seat and not the list to put her mouth were her mouth is?

But then Ruth Davidson cannot be a true Tory unless she is feathering her own nest first.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour MP Diane Abbott faces call to resign over 'racist' tweet, 'white people love to play divide and rule', 2012, 5 days old, foot in mouth already

2012-01-05T15:41:00.005Z

Dear All

2012 has got off to a rocky start for Labour MP Diane Abbott.

Five days into the New Year and she is already embroiled in a ‘race row’ over claims that she had been racist against white people.

The row flared up over a tweet she stuck up on twitter.

Diane Abbott is in my opinion a ‘race politician’; these people appear in all political parties who use racism to advance their political careers.

And Diane Abbott has been very successful in her career, because race politics uses fear so that if anyone criticises these people, they simply imply that any negative criticism of them must be because of their colour, not that the ‘message’ is wrong.

After firmly putting her foot in it on twitter, she has finally apologised and deleted her tweet today over claims that she had been racist against white people.

Apparently, the Labour Leader Ed Miliband wasn’t a happy chappy.

Ms. Abbott is the shadow minister for public health; however her political health might need a check up or a transplant.

Something is certainly failing upstairs.

In order to explain herself, she said she had been taken out of context, citing '19th century European colonial rule' being behind the message.

This is called carrying on digging a hole when you should stop, but luckily she was cut short when she received a phone call during an interview on live TV from her boss, Ed Miliband, who was said to be furious over the remarks.

Oh to listen into that gem.

An apology was swiftly issued.

The apology was sorry for 'for any offence caused' and not for posting the original tweet.

This is not good enough by a long chalk Ms. Abbott.

The tweet has since been deleted but luckily someone has kept a copy so, although gone from her account there is a permanent record.

There have been calls for her to resign, but that will fall on deaf ears, but she may be moved from her public health brief to the backbenches by Miliband which will depend on how this little storm plays down in the Westminster village.

Diane Abbott used to appear on This Week with Michael Portillo and Andrew Neil, in this context were she is a commentator on gossip and incidents she did well, she doesn’t like anyone disagree with her, she is gaffe prone but shadow health brief isn’t right for her. She is too much of a maverick and has a tendency to speak before thinking.

The Labour Party has also distanced itself from the MP's remarks.

A spokesman said:

“We disagree with Diane’s tweet. It is wrong to make sweeping generalisations about any race, creed, or culture. The Labour Party has always campaigned against such behaviour – and so has Diane Abbott.”

I think she should stand down, this doesn’t play well.

Stoking the fire, political blogger Guido Fawkes today accused Abbott of ‘slamming an entire group of people based on the colour of their skin’.

An entry on his blog continued:

“She is a shadow minister and represents a constituency that is 61% white”.

Adding:

“Sections 17 to 29 of the Public Order Act 1986 are pretty clear on statements like this.

'They cover deliberately provoking hatred of a racial group, distributing racist material to the public, and perhaps most notably in this case, inciting inflammatory rumours about an ethnic group, for the purpose of spreading racial discontent".

Guido likes to claim political scalps, however, I think Ms. Abbott will not fall today, she is one of those people who will survive, and the next gaffe is just around the corner anyway.

She should step down as Shadow Health Minister if she has any commonsense whatsoever.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

No place to hide: two of Stephen Lawrence’s killers get found guilty at Old Bailey and jailed, 2 down and 3 to go, 19 years to get justice!

2012-01-05T14:50:00.003Z

Dear All

Every so often, justice gets done and is seen to be done, unfortunately in the case of Stephen Lawrence, it has taken 19 years.

His killers have cheated justice for nearly 19 years because of incompetence of the Met Police who didn’t live up to the standard which we expect our police service to.

The Lawrence family after the conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris said this was a time to celebrate as the three other people also involved in the murder are still out there.

They are absolutely right, both Dobson and Norris know who else was with them and they should confess and give up the names, forensics in this case has run its course and for any future investigation to go forward, I would suggest that witness testimony is needed.

Both Dobson and Norris got circa 15 years each, the judge said he wished it could have been longer, 30 years and no parole consideration unless 25 years were served would have been better.

The rest of the Stephen Lawrence killer gang were warned yesterday that they will not get away with murder but unless confessions are forthcoming then possibly they will.

In cases like this were an impasse has been reached, Dobson and Norris should be approached and re-interviewed by Police and offered a deal.

Unpleasant as it sounds, unless a witness suddenly appears which is incredibly doubtful, the CPS should be pragmatic.

Mr Justice Treacy dramatically ordered Scotland Yard to hunt down the ‘three or four’ killers still at large not an easy task, thinking someone didn’t isn’t the same as proving someone did it.

Dobson and Norris weren’t born evil but grew into it over time, there is no excuse for killing an innocent person, this wasn’t self defence or in defence of another, it was evil, plain and simple.

Stephen’s parents, Neville and Doreen have fought hard for justice, but their fight isn’t just about their son, it has a wider point about society, and what kind of society we aspire to become.

As a victim of knife crime, I was nearly stabbed to death once myself; the knife bounced off a rib hence I am here today, when stabbed it happens so quick that you think you have just been punched. The mental effects last longer than the physical wounds; believe me I speak with authority on that. Stephen Lawrence was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Three other people are named as people that should be of interest to the Police, Jamie Acourt, his brother Neil and Luke Knight. At present, they remain free and they should be considered innocent until proven guilty, as much as many think they were involved, in the eyes of the law, they are just suspects. Only Dobson and Norris know exactly who else was with them, they are the key now to the conclusion of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.
Although the Acourt gang were alleged to be responsible for numerous attacks in South London, they have never been punished, perhaps 19 years; things will change for the rest of the gang.

Their names were handed to police within days of Stephen’s murder and all five were named by the Daily Mail as killers in 1997.

The paper even challenged them to sue if the newspaper was wrong. They never did but that doesn’t constitute evidence. Trial by media should never form any part of a trial no matter what the motivation of the people running a paper.

Mr Lawrence said he hoped Dobson and Norris would ‘give up the rest of the people.’

The only way I can see this happening is if Dobson and Norris cut a deal, through-out their trial they expressed their innocence the jury thought otherwise.

Stephen’s mother Doreen told the press:

“There is no shred of doubt in my mind that all five are guilty. After Stephen’s death we had people we don’t know leaving messages and giving us their names. We would have had no idea about these young men, who they were and where they lived, but we were getting these messages about their behaviour; the way they cleaned knives in front of their windows, attacks on other people. So with that combination of things, and then seeing the police surveillance video where it’s clear the hatred they have for individual races, you think, no, it has to be them.”

So, the next phase of the marathon Lawrence investigation is expected to focus on the Acourt brothers and Knight.

They have fled and gone into hiding.

They can run but they can’t hide, if Dobson and Norris turn Queen’s evidence then the rest of the gang can be put behind bars.

19 years to achieve justice, how far we have sunk as a society.

The Acourt brothers and Knight best not make plans for the future, it appears others such as the Met Police and Crown Office are taking care of that for them.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, and be safe

2011-12-22T15:06:00.002Z

Dear All

Merry Xmas and a happy New Year to you and your family!

I would like to thank all the people who took the opportunity to drop by the blog to read and comment.

91, 672 stopped by as of today, my first year in 2009 saw circa 10,000.

Merry Xmas and a happy new year when it comes!

Blogging starts up just after New Year.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Lord Gill condemns the ‘right’ of criminals to a lower sentence if they used the section 196 (1) to get a reduction, we don’t live in an ideal world

2011-12-21T15:58:00.007Z

Dear All

There is good law and bad law, and law that sometimes help the wheels of justice move more smoothly.

In Scotland there is such a law called the Criminal Procedures Scotland Act 1995, under section 196 (1) if an accused person pleads guilty early thus stop wasting the court’s time; they get a reduction in their sentence.

You can debate the moral rights or wrongs of that principle, but the law exists for good reason, Courts are under pressure and this helps ease this, if the law is ignored then there is no reason to plead guilty early.

This will lead to backlogs.

Lord Justice Clerk Lord Gill isn’t a fan of this law and has warned shortening sentences for those who admit crimes could erode public confidence in the justice system.

He goes further by calling for courts to take a tougher line when sentencing.

This is all good traditional Tory stuff from an age long since dead.

Defence lawyers who in theory have to do the best for the clients have warned removing incentives to plead guilty quickly will result in more contested charges and trials.

They are right, why plead guilty when you get the same sentence and maybe you might get off with it.

A five-judge bench at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh has been taking another look at this question by considering a number of test cases and has questioned the right to discounts for an early guilty plea.

I would opine that in the interests of a properly functioning judiciary, it is important that this matter is not sidetracked into some emotional rant.

Lord Gill said the discounts of one-third being allowed as a matter of routine were the result of a "superficial reading" of the unspecified 1996 case.

He said:

"So it is opportune to repeat that an accused is not entitled to any particular discount in return for a plea of guilty. The level of discount, if any, is and must always be a matter for the discretion of the sentencer."

I would say that this is wrong, case law would support allowing and retaining such a practice.

The expectation of a sentencing discount of up to one-third of the sentence was enshrined in Scots law for the first time in October 2003.

At the time of Lord Cullen's review this idea appeared to have come from the then Scottish Executive's proposals for High Court reform and Lord Bonomy's recommendations to speed up the justice system.

Because it argued that there should be a "predictable" reduction in sentence if an accused pled guilty at an early stage.

Then in an appeal court case in 2003, known as Du Plooy, the position was clarified so that sentencers should consider discounts of up to one-third in such cases.

And life went on the Courts were able to increase volume under an already overstretched system.

The argument advanced for discounts was they spared witnesses from having to give evidence, and saved court time and expense.

How can this now be seen as a bad idea?

And why should anyone be stupid enough to want to return to chaos because someone wants their pound of flesh?

Scottish criminal lawyer Paul McBride described Lord Gill's warning as "provocative", adding there had to be incentives to pleading guilty to prevent overburdening courts with trials.

I am not a Paul McBride fan but however we do travel along the same train of thought sometimes.

He said:

"I agree people should not be entitled to anything automatically, but let's give the courts the discretion to apply their common sense and give people an appropriate discount and encourage them to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity to spare the victims the agony of having to go through a trial.

Adding:

"It's certainly a very provocative thing for him to say and he will fully understand the implications of it. If accused people understand they won't get a discount if they plead guilty, what on earth is the incentive for them to plead guilty?

McBride rightly says:

"If you give them no incentive you will end up having more and more trials, and the courts are finding it difficult enough to cope at the moment in an ideal world of unlimited resources and unlimited judges and unlimited lawyers then no-one would get any discount for pleading guilty. We are not in that world."

As General Mick Jackson used to say, ‘we are where we are’.

Lord Gill said something interesting when he went on to warn of the danger a discount might cause an accused to plead guilty, even when they had a fair defence. Innocent people by enlarge don’t plead guilty so the idea that someone would do so is strange particularly when they have legal representation. I think that this is crap.

Gill added:

"The second risk is the allowance of substantial discounts may cause the sentencing decisions of the criminal courts to lose credibility and in this way may erode the authority of the courts."

Since when does applying current law do this? And the authority of the courts isn’t in any way weakened, bad judgement in criminal cases such as the Cadder ruling do much more damage because Cadder showed some judges to be incompetent and unfit to be on the Appeal Court Bench.

Cadder was a straightforward violation by the Courts, the Crown and the Police of human rights denial.

This was set right by the UK Supreme Court who made Scotland human rights compliant on that issue.

Lord Gill continued:

"I consider the court's discretion to allow a discount should be exercised sparingly and only for convincing reasons."

Can Lord Gill front the costs of increased expenditure for the problem he is trying to manufacture or does he believe that closing one third of Scotland’s Sheriff Courts is going to produce a tsunami of funds to cover this.

I would like to see competence tests rather like academic exams introduced for judges and others who sit in the Courts passing judgments; this should include a psychological assessment on whether or not they should be there in the first place.

We need a clear legal framework for the Courts to operate under to produce a fair and just system that functions at an optimal level or as close to it as possible.

This crap has disaster written all over it and the Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill should take no notice of this, we want quick trials not having accused people getting ‘second mortgages’ and planning permission to build extensions to the court because they are there so long.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Sir Michael Wilshaw, new Ofsted chief says scruffy teachers should set an example and dress professionally, image and presentation matters in public

2011-12-20T15:34:00.006Z

Dear All

Image and presentation matter!

If you want people to take you seriously you have to look the part, that first impression counts.

The new head of Ofsted says scruffy teachers should be ordered to smarten up in the classroom.

By way of a dress code, teachers claim they are professionals, is it too much to ask that they dress the part?

I suspect most people would say yes they should.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, an inner city head becomes the Chief Inspector of Schools next month, said teachers should set an example and dress in a ‘professional’ manner.

Great minds think alike, he also believes whether inspectors should consider staff dress codes during inspections.

Sir Michael thinks it should be one of the criteria Ofsted looks at.

Adding:

“I think it’s patronising to children for staff to dress poorly”.

When I taught in my youth, I was always dressed for the activity I was teaching, on time and prepared. My pupils had 100% confidence in me, but teaching isn’t simply looking the part, you have to know your subject as well as having the ability to put it across at a level that allows pupils to grasp the subject matter. In some cases you may have to repeat the same lesson again as people learn at different speeds.

Once they get the hook, they find their time in the learning experience more enjoyable.

Learning should be fun, but also disciplined.

Sir Michael’s intervention was welcomed by campaigners last night.

Nick Seaton, secretary of the Campaign for Real Education, said teachers should be banned from wearing jeans and T-shirts in the classroom.

It has been along time since I was at school and the idea of a teacher in jeans and T shirt certainly doesn’t convey the right image.

Another interesting point is that history and geography 'could become compulsory' to 16 in major shake-up of national curriculum, I would agree that to understand how to plan for the future you should have a grasp and working knowledge of the past, looking at mistakes of the past is a useful educational tool. I used a variation of this while teaching myself, by having trainees watch and analyse others and then engage in Q & A to develop understanding so that my pupils thought like instructors.

The ability to analyse is a key skill missing in education.

Nick Seaton adding:

“Teachers should be setting an example to young people for when they go into the world of work. That means they should look reasonably smart at work. Twenty or 30 years ago teachers wouldn’t have dreamed of going to school in scruffy clothes, but standards have slipped in some places.”

Sir Michael rightly says teachers patronise children by turning up to the classroom badly dressed and then expecting the pupils to keep to the uniform.

In his own school, Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, where he has achieved spectacular results, teachers were expected to wear ‘business-like’ clothes.

He added:

“Most good schools have a dress code for staff. It would be surprising if they didn’t. I am not very prescriptive but I’d make a judgement if someone came in here and was badly dressed. It’s the wrong message to give the children and think it patronises the children who are expected to turn up here in uniform.”

Sir Michael Wilshaw may turn out to be exactly what Ofsted and schools need, his ideas have considerable merit.

Michael Gove, English Minister for education talks about elitism being brought back to schools, that elitism should be available to all pupils to get the best possible start to life.

One thing, I said to a Russian friend of mine, Lana Soroka when I taught her was to analyse and consider options.

She is now a successful lawyer in London.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Glasgow Uni product Johann Lamont becomes Scottish Labour leader, Pollok Constituency is now unwinnable for any other political party even the SNP

2011-12-19T15:01:00.007Z

Dear All

Johann Lamont has won the Scottish Labour Leadership contest.

It seems that the weakest candidate can rise to the top, Lamont is a Glasgow University product and if you ever watch her on Newsnight Scotland, she sounds awful.

However as Scottish Labour leader she has pretty much a ‘seat of life’ in Pollok, despite the SNP having a tsunami effect recently, however it wasn’t enough to topple her in the Labour stronghold, but it was close.

Now, she is leader her profile rises and so will personnel in the shape of activists as people want to be known by the leader.

Pollok is now unwinnable for any political party; no one in living memory as ever defeated the leader of a political party at an election.

In 2010 at the Westminster Campaign no one came close to Labour allowing Ian ‘the Deerhunter’ Davidson an easy stroll to the finish line.

Pollok is now unwinnable at Holyrood and Westminster for any candidate standing against them in political parties. It is a complete waste of time to be an activist in that area from another party other than Labour.

Now, the worst candidate is in place, Glasgow University product Johann Lamont has unveiled her front-bench appointments.

The leader in waiting, Ken Macintosh gets a top job for handling the finance, employment and sustainable growth remit.

Ken Macintosh won the votes of the grassroots and was then beaten in the contest on Saturday.

Ms Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, said she will set out a positive vision for a "fair" Scotland.

This will be a challenge as she and the rest sat on their hands for the entire duration of the last Holyrood term doing absolutely nothing but spin and gimmicks.

In political terms, the reality generated was that Scottish Labour wasn’t seen as a credible alternative.

Lamont said:

"My shadow cabinet will be inclusive, bringing together experienced former ministers and newer voices to speak on the important issues for Scotland. Our job will not just be to hold the Scottish Government to account, but to show our party's ambition again. Together we must set out and convince the people of Scotland of Labour's vision for our country. Ours is a positive vision for a prosperous Scotland that can pay its own way, a wealth-creating Scotland that uses its wealth to build a fairer country, a Scotland determined that not one person's talent is wasted, a Scotland that challenges all Scots to be all that they can be, and which creates the conditions in which we can reach our aspirations. My shadow cabinet will comprise elected politicians and also experts in their fields from all walks of life to advise, share experience and help shape the future of our country. I will make more appointments in the coming weeks and months."

The reason for bring in outsiders to her team is that ‘the pool’ is very limited.

Hugh Henry becomes spokesman for education and lifelong learning.

Jackie Baillie stays in charge of health.

Patricia Ferguson will be spokeswoman for culture, external affairs and the Commonwealth Games.

Richard Baker becomes spokesman for infrastructure and capital investment.

Lewis Macdonald was appointed justice spokesman.

Sarah Boyack becomes spokeswoman for local government and planning.

Claire Baker becomes spokeswoman for rural affairs and environment.

Paul Martin remains parliamentary business manager.

James Kelly is the chief whip.

After the first round of counting, Lamont had 51.77% of the votes, Macintosh had 40.28% and Glasgow South MP Tom Harris trailed a very poor third with only 7.95%.

Harris was the best at presentation and had presence but his problem was he wasn’t in the Holyrood clique and the real battle in Scotland is at Holyrood in the Chamber on the ‘shop floor’.

Lamont because of restructure is the first person to lead the whole of the party in Scotland, rather than just the Holyrood group, following changes since the review by Jim Murphy to the party structure.

So, has Glasgow University product the skills to take on Alex Salmond in mental combat?

She is a poor choice and doesn’t look like a First Minister in waiting.

However, she has a job for life as Pollok MSP now that she is leader, people will flock to her because it may help their political careers.

Anyone standing against Johann Lamont in Pollok is just pissing £500 up against the wall and wasted their time.

Lamont has a walkthrough.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Police chiefs warn of £22m 'hidden cost' in single force, there will be start problems, but they are solvable, act like professionals!

2011-12-17T13:43:00.004Z

Dear All

When I was pushing the idea of a single national Police force at the SNP National Assembly, I did so know that although this was a good idea of benefit, some people would lose out.

However the Police in Scotland had to merge to make a 21st Century force and deal with the challenges of the ever changing nature of crime.

We need a national force, unfortunately in the past, self interest stop this idea going forward.

In the reorganization there will be problems, such as start up costs, this is to be expected.

But there is supposed to be experienced officers who can deal with this, we aren’t asking anyone to go to the moon here.

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) said in reply to a Government consultation on the plans that it will require cuts to police staff.

That was part of my original idea, to contract the service in a concentrated unit before allowing growth.

We need to be standing first on the bedrock of sound principles; then stage two reform can take place.

When I proposed the single force idea in September 2010, stage two was preparing for an independence landscape that saw the police take over the functions of customs and UK Border Agency.

There would be much more accountability and transparency if my original idea had been seen through to its logical conclusion.

Accountability would be done in a multi layer approach, special Holyrood committee, national board and retained local boards.

Acpos has flagged up the issue of vat, stating that under Scottish Government proposals the single service would be liable for £22 million a year in VAT to the Treasury, because of changes in the way the new organisation will be funded.

With good will and dialogue this could be sorted between Westminster and Holyrood, perhaps by a technical amendment for a new public sector vat exemption certificate. The nuts and bolts of that would have to be ironed out.

The idea that the police pay Vat to the treasury is bizarre anyway, it is on an outdated concept and the move to streamlining services is the true nature of reform in Scotland.

So far very few people in politics are talking of local and public sector reform because the Scottish Government have no ideas of merit, it is a key debate of this Holyrood term.
Police reform is a tip of a very large iceberg.

On job losses Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has intimated should not happen in a letter to staff and officers in September but he doesn’t have operational control so although his letter may allay fears, it isn’t worth the paper it is written on.

Les Gray, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said:

"It would be ludicrous if the new police service had to pay VAT. That would be like washing public funds down the drain – money that should be spent on providing the public with an excellent police service. It would be scandalous."

Gray is very much anti single force; however all over Scotland there are similar law enforcement bodies which are national services, UK Border Agency, Customs, Prison Service and Transport Police.

The Scottish Government has stated the new single service will not be a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) like the Scottish Police Services Authority, which has been forced to pay millions in VAT.

To return to job losses for a sec, Kenny MacAskill wrote to staff and said:

"All officers and staff in post when the new organisation is established will transfer to the new Scottish Police Service on the day of establishment and will retain their terms and conditions of service on transfer. There should be no compulsory redundancies."

What he did write was a guarantee of future employment because there can’t be while the restructure takes place because all levers must be available to the organizers of the new body.

It has first to contract to a core unit then it can expand properly, everyone should know this without it having to be said.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said:

"It will be for the new service, after detailed planning and transitional work, to determine the workforce balance of the new service. All personnel in post on the day of reform will be entitled to transfer to the new service."

Clearly, the Scottish Government is setting out its stall that job losses although regrettable are out of their hands.

But it was wrong for Kenny MacAskill to imply that everyone’s job would be safe, tell the truth is far better politically, don’t leave people with false hope because people can’t live on that.

Anyway, onwards and upwards, there are other ideas such as introducing a commercial arm as part of the national force structure but that is for another time and place.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

All opposition parties unite as SNP railroads sectarian football bill through Holyrood, Mulholland calls it ‘important legislation’, bollocks

2011-12-15T15:18:00.009Z

Dear All

After the Scottish National Party won the Holyrood 2011 election, Alex Salmond said that the SNP may have won Scotland's first majority government but it "did not have a monopoly on wisdom".

He is of course absolutely right on that score.

Which brings me; to the SNP using its majority at Holyrood to pass the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill.

That was totally the wrong approach to take to tackle this problem.

How bad is this crap bill?

Bad enough to unite all opposition parties against this bad law, the law effectively allows Police to arrest anyone for singing what could be later construed as a sectarian song.

However, the Scottish government have not defined what songs could lead to someone or group getting arrested.

So, a person could be lifted, taken to court and it would be up to a jury to decide if they want to convict.

This will be based not on law; but possibly their own prejudices.

Law by its very nature must be clear and although ignorance of the law is not a defence in itself, this law could be argued with some merit that it isn’t human rights compliant.

A key part of convicting is establishing what is called ‘mens rea’, which means when the person or group committed the crime, did they have a ‘guilty mind’.

This standard common law test of criminal liability is usually expressed in the Latin phrase; ‘actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea’, which means "the act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty".

Ergo, any decent lawyer or possibly second year law student on the ball could drive a truck right up the Scottish Government’s arse; do a U turn using the hand brake and wheel spin away taking their client out of Court.

Free!

It's shit law and to quote Alex Salmond again, Scotland's first majority government doesn’t have a monopoly on wisdom.

We now have two new offences created for targeting sectarian behaviour in and around football matches and on the internet.

Those convicted could spend as long as five years in prison and be banned from football grounds.

5 years for singing a song?

The SNP was wrong to use its majority at Holyrood to pass the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill but they left the door open by saying that they promised to review the use of the new powers.

Juries are generally sensible by enlarge but they do have odd characters on them, if you haven’t been on a jury it is an eye opener, believe me. But in the madness of the jury process, someone usually exercises common sense.

To be blunt, if I was on a jury and this shit was put to me, I would argue with some merit how utterly wrong this is in both law and in natural justice.

Passing bad law brings the Parliament into disrepute.

Last night opposition parties took the unusual step as I previously said of uniting to brand the bill, which has won backing from police and prosecutors as a shambles and unworkable.

Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Independent MSP Margo MacDonald issued a joint statement after the vote at Holyrood.

It read:

"Members of all political parties are determined to wipe the blight of sectarianism from Scottish society. It is of real regret that the first piece of legislation passed by this new Parliament has been railroaded through by the SNP. The SNP has used its majority to force through bad law that risks doing more harm than good. It sets a worrying precedent for this Parliament."

As I previously blogged, consensus is dead, unfortunately the SNP believe that they are the ‘new establishment’, this is delusion thinking and reminds me of Blair and his landslide in 1997.

And we all know what happened to Blair, from hero to zero, and then cast out.

Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham trying to justify this tripe reminded MSPs of on-field flashpoints at Old Firm encounters, bullets and bombs through the post and internet threats to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and other prominent Celtic figures.

All this could be dealt with using current law provisions.

She said:

"This simple point seems to have been lost in what I think is a fog of denial and sometimes apparently wilful misunderstanding. These are clear and specific improvements to the existing law."

I sincerely hope that someone else wrote that for her and she just parroted it out, I would prefer to believe she is ignorant of the subject matter rather than plain stupid.

Tory Justice Spokesman David McLetchie poured scorn the notion of asking police or prosecutors if they wanted new powers to being a akin to asking someone if they wanted a pay rise.

He predicted:

"What we will now see is a flood of prosecutions under the Act. No doubt this will be presented as a great success by the SNP, but in reality it will be a sham."

Labour justice spokesman James Kelly said:

"We all know that throughout this process, it has not been competently handled by the minister. What we need is a properly thought-out strategy on sectarianism, one that is informed by real people, not civil servants in St Andrew's House."

Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC, Scotland's top law officer, said:

"I welcome the passing of this Bill, which is one of the most important pieces of legislation to be passed by the Scottish Parliament."

I hold Frank Mulholland in contempt, what an arselicker.

20 Celtic supporters who travelled to Holyrood under the banner “Fans Not Criminals” were excluded from the public gallery for wearing campaign T-shirts.

Each wore a T shirt spelling out a letter to make a combined message and they intended to stand up and turn round when a Bill to tackle religious hatred and bigotry related to football was passed, to spell out “SNP – Shame on You.”

Jeanette Findlay, chairwoman of the Celtic Supporters’ Trust, said they had come to protest against this “shockingly unnecessary Bill”.

Ms. Findlay unfortunately gave a TV interview were she demonstrated how common she is, possibly not the best advocate for a protest group but her group did have a point, even although it was cheap, badly thought-out and ineffective.

She is also a Glasgow University product.

Over at the Herald Scotland, Iain MacWhirter writes:

"This dumb, unjust law is Salmond's first own goal"

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Human rights abusing Glasgow University admits internal reform plans ‘over-ambitious’, no shit Sherlock, corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli Principal

2011-12-14T16:10:00.010Z

Dear All

It seems that down at the human rights abusing Glasgow University they have over-reaching themselves by trying to be creative.

Having spent 20 years at ‘University of Guantanamo Bay’, I was used to seeing fu*k up after fu*k up after fu*k up.

One reason I believed was the university became a crony infested pit.

Simple minded fu*ks have been employed who have a ‘key’ skill.

Burying themselves in other people’s asses and drawing breath only to tell their 'guru' how wonderful they are.

It was one of the deeply unpleasant sights to witness at the university, I didn’t involve myself in such behaviour while working as a fitness coach because unlike others who wanted to be the ‘pals’ of the students and staff, I actually had skills.

I taught fitness and weight training in my youth on a purely charitable basis and was the best in my field.

There was no competition during my time there; the fitness staff even had to go to my training partners for advice on how to better lay out their gym.

Anyway, the biggest reform of the institution for decades hasn’t gone well, with an internal report saying the move to replace nine academic faculties with four colleges in one year was "over-ambitious".

Bad news for corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli!

Doesn't seem like brains are embedded does it?

Senior vice-principal and Vet school character Andrea Nolan also said the financial climate was not ideal.

So speaks the 'voice of wisdom', someone probably told her what a great job she done writing it.

Big thinking isn’t the same as sticking your arm up a cow’s arse Nolan, it takes vision, planning and possibly real genius.

Any halfwit can stand on the sidelines and snipe when it goes wrong.

I always said that if the photocopiers ever breakdown at Glasgow University, then senior management would be effectively paralysed.

'University of Guantanamo Bay' recently was crying over £20 million of cuts which led to voluntary redundancies seeing 264 staff leaving.

Those at the top, saw ‘the trough’ fully protected.

As well as the ‘big idea’ there was another dead donkey roaming about called MyCampus, which sucked up significant numbers of staff being tied up developing a controversial £14m student enrolment website.

The numbers were less than those who hit the beaches on the 6th June 1944 in Normandy; they at least were going forward.

Not fighting a rearguard action.

The workload was said to be putting a great strain on staff because of an increased workload.

Nolan's report said the university had been responding to "major budgetary pressures due to the deteriorating economic climate and public funding situation".

Wow, all that education and the ability to state the bleeding obvious, what a great pity her Veterinary trained mind couldn’t have spoken up before the problems started.

The report summed up by saying:

"The introduction of the new structure was undertaken against a backdrop of significant change, both as a result of internal commitment to delivering the strategy and as a result of funding changes in the external environment”.

Translated, it was the wrong time to start a project because we are skint.

Nolan added:

"With hindsight, the senior management group was overly optimistic about what it wished to achieve within the associated time-scales, given the range of other projects that were planned and those that had to be initiated as a result of changes in the external environment."

Senior management is led by David Newall who I never found to be very bright in my dealings with him.

Not very bright with an attitude problem!

Dave Anderson, president of the Glasgow University branch of the UCU lecturers' union, said:

"We have called on senior management to do more to address the concerns of staff that are overburdened as a result of restructuring and to provide the support required to ensure the university's reputation is maintained in coming years."

Years ago while trawling through the University Court Minutes; my eye was caught by a proposal to increase the number of foreign students which could only be to create a cash cow culture to increase revenue.

The university has continued to move towards this principle.

In 2009 a paper prepared for the university's court stressed the importance of streamlining university management to ensure money was spent improving the university's performance.

Presumably some of the lower echelons were to be moved about and possibly out, it was a time to keep your head or pressed to someone senior’s arse in much the same way as troops landed on Omaha beach heads were buried in the sand as mortars and machine gun fire raked the beach.

The paper said:

"Compared to those universities currently in the world's top 50 we have relatively poor international and postgraduate student numbers, our research is not published consistently in journals - and our research capability is not regarded as highly by our peers."

I remember a PhD student telling me the story of someone trying to publish the same stuff twice in an academic journal and a bit of a hue and cry about it.

It was a very sordid episode indeed in Glasgow University history.

The PhD student also added that Sport Science pioneered to some extent at Glasgow University was a ‘load of wank’ and these people weren’t real scientists.

Some people produced a paper on the benefits of using an escalator instead of the stairs by putting up a poster at the bottom, as someone who was a fitness coach; I was appalled that such low grade shit would even be considered to be published.

And anyone would want their name associated with it.

To return to the main issue, a Glasgow University paid spokesman said:

"We are confident that the University of Glasgow is now well placed academically and financially and will continue to deliver world-class teaching and research and the best all-round experience for our students”.

Including institutional bullying, discrimination, harassment, malpractice and criminal fraud, they can’t even do that properly without getting caught out.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2009/08/glasgow-university-senior-management.html

This post shows in detail how corrupt, stupid and arrogant so called ‘educated’ people are, publicly beaten by a student doing a 20 credit Egyptology course.

Another red letter day for corrupt foreigner Anton Muscatelli, another bridge too far!

Still there is the big salary, car, uni chauffeur and Principal’s house to be had.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

Labour leader hopeful Johann Lamont tackles Scottish Government as Cadder ruling blamed as rape convictions plunge, Scotland is a corrupt country

2011-12-14T15:08:00.004Z

Dear All

Rape is a serious crime; the effects on the victims are long lasting, that is why it is important to ensure that any police investigation and prosecution of anyone charged is done properly.

That is the only way to ensure justice, however like any crime there will be people who are guilty who get away with it and others who are innocent who get convicted.

The human element in trials produces perverse results something, but we need such due process to safeguard the system.

Government statistics released yesterday state there were just 36 rape and attempted rape convictions during 2010/11, compared with 54 in the previous 12 months.

Statistics are useful but justice we should remember isn’t a numbers game or treated as such.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) say the drop was a result of the Supreme Court Cadder ruling.

This could be looked at another way that the Fiscal Service and the Police aren’t effective enough in pursuing evidence.

Cadder cannot be the problem because Police interviewing a suspect would have to behave in exactly the same way as they would do if a solicitor was present.

Is the Fiscal Service saying Police use different techniques when interviewing suspects when a lawyer isn’t present?

This could possibly mean that Police use intimidation/bullying/oppressive tactics/threats etc.

The Cadder ruling whether some like it or not was essential and more important it was a human right because anyone accused is entitled under Article Six to a fair trial.

Questioning with a solicitor present upholds that principle and human right so long denied in Scotland.

The allegation made by The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is all about directing attention away from THEIR failure.

The Cadder judgment, published by the Supreme Court in October last year, ruled it was a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights to allow an accused to be detained and interviewed by police without the right to a solicitor, this was standard in many EU countries and beyond.

Scotland operated a corrupt practice until it was stopped by the UK Supreme Court and the Scottish Government, the Appeals Court and Fiscal Service were all 100% behind denying ordinary citizens human rights.

Legal protection and a fair trial process are part of the glue which holds society together; we cannot allow unfair trials even if we thought someone is guilty.
The end can never justify the means in such cases.

The State have to prove a person or group is guilty using due process, following the letter and the spirit of the law exactly.

There can be no other way because allowing guilty people off on a technicality is an insult to victims of crime.

A COPFS spokesman said that Cadder meant that in many cases dealt with since then had "essential evidence" from police interviews lost and the Crown was unable to proceed with cases that would previously have gone to court.

This is the fault of The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, they conspired to deny justice then it backfired in their faces.

They should have addressed the problem but with the Appeals Court being so ineffective, they thought wrongly they could get away with it.

It was laziness, arrogance and stupidity on their part, they thought they were untouchable.

COPFS spokesman added:

"The Supreme Court ruling in the Cadder case has meant that in many cases essential evidence from admissions made by a suspect in police interview has been lost to the Crown. Given the nature of the crime of rape and attempted rape, admissions by the suspect were often essential to provide the necessary corroboration, especially of penetration. COPFS was therefore unable to proceed with cases that relied upon admissions made by the accused and which could have proceeded prior to the Cadder case."

If a person is willing to confess, the fact they have a solicitor shouldn’t change that, solicitors only advise their clients of their rights.

Rape should never be seen as a number games or that if a ‘quota’ isn’t reached that is somehow a failure.

Justice is and must be decided on evidence by using due process; there must be safeguards to ensure that both parties are treated correctly regardless of personal feelings on whether we think someone is guilty.

The Cadder ruling is an historic judgement by the UK Supreme Court which is a water shed moment in legal history.

It has caused problems, the chief one being that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police were forced to obey the law.

Not by choice but forced.

That is why so many people have no faith in such a corrupt system.

As someone with an interest in law, the Cadder ruling is a totally correct interpretation of the Human Rights Act and European Convention on Human Rights, it demonstrates classical legal judgment.

It is very unfortunately that the result of the Cadder case has led to a situation where possibly the guilty have benefited.

The Cadder ruling had to be passed.

If independence is to be achieved, the justice system needs to be massively overhauled to be brought up to date.

At present, we should be grateful to the UK Supreme Court and people like Lord Hope who in my mind has the same stature as Lord Denning for doing what needed to be done in the face of such ill judged opposition.

We sorely need such wisdom north of the border, only then can we have justice as a bedrock of a new Scottish society.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University