We remain a Great Britain. The Scots have had their vote and elected to say no to the opportunity to become an independent Country. If I had been a Scot I would have chosen the same road. Time and again specific questions were asked of Alex Salmon(d), the first minister, and time and again no concrete facts or data were forthcoming.
What would have happened to job opportunities and associated pensions, how would the NHS have been funded, what is the financial benefit of North Sea oil, what would be the impact of Trident moving South and, of course, what currency would be deployed and would currency rates work for or against.
The only sensible route was to maintain the status quo and allow Alex and the SNP to negotiate from a position of strength.
All through the campaign I have had no time for Salmond, thinking that he was in this for his own gain and frankly he was saving sod the average Scot in the street. He lost, and look what has happened. he has resigned quicker than a paedophilific radio presenter. There is no I in team, but there is one in king, and by failing to stay in office and fight for his nation he has taken the high road and left the mess he has orchestrated for some other poor souls to sort out. Scotland may well feel they are better off without him.
With uncertainty surrounding the future, and some political posturing over the enhanced powers promise, the Tory party have been quick to seize the moral high ground as far as English law is concerned. This in effect stifles the Labour power base in Westminster. It may even sow doubt into the minds of staunch Labour supporters in the North of England as to whether their party is capable of protecting the interests of the working class Englander. Regularly they see more and more funding at a disproportionate level been passed out to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are getting unhappy.
We live in uncertain times as events in the Middle East indicate daily, but closer to home things are equally unsettled. The old adage 'Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answer to' has been broken by Salmond, the yes/no factions have now got to get back in bed together and what Scotland took as a given as far as devolution is concerned, may now be less attractive than once it was.
Showing posts with label labour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labour. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Monday, 15 March 2010
One Foot in the Grave
I have just been browsing a few past blogs. I think the record could be quite useful later in life when one of the memory lapse diseases kicks in....did I really do that I can think to myself!!!
Anyway, one article I noted was about the passing of Clement Freud, chef, wine buff, politician and fanatical Plymouth Argyle supporter. Now the Green Army do not have too many celebrities in its ranks, so it was remiss of me to fail to recognise the passing of another political green Army stalwart, Michael Foot.
Michael was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992. He was also the Leader of the Opposition from 1980 to 1983. Associated with the Labour left for most of his career, he was a passionate supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and British withdrawal from the European Economic Community. A passionate orator, he was Labour leader at the 1983 general election when the party received its lowest share of the vote since 1918.
His parallel career as a journalist included his appointment as editor for the Tribune for several periods, and the London Evening Standard newspapers. His books include a biography of Jonathan Swift (The Pen and the Sword, 1957) and Aneurin Bevan.
Foot was educated initially in Plymouth, and was subsequently MP for Plymouth, Devonport so it was no surprise that he was a passionate supporter of the Argyle from his childhood and once remarked that he wasn't going to die until he had seen them play in the Premiership. I share the sentiment. Unlike Clement Freud though, he served for several years as a director of the club, seeing two promotions under his tenure.
For his 90th birthday, Foot was registered with the Football League as an honorary player and given the shirt number 90. This made him officially the oldest registered professional player in the history of football.
The boys could have done with a spiky left winger over the years and blow me there was one in the stands all along.....
Anyway, one article I noted was about the passing of Clement Freud, chef, wine buff, politician and fanatical Plymouth Argyle supporter. Now the Green Army do not have too many celebrities in its ranks, so it was remiss of me to fail to recognise the passing of another political green Army stalwart, Michael Foot.
Michael was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992. He was also the Leader of the Opposition from 1980 to 1983. Associated with the Labour left for most of his career, he was a passionate supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and British withdrawal from the European Economic Community. A passionate orator, he was Labour leader at the 1983 general election when the party received its lowest share of the vote since 1918.
His parallel career as a journalist included his appointment as editor for the Tribune for several periods, and the London Evening Standard newspapers. His books include a biography of Jonathan Swift (The Pen and the Sword, 1957) and Aneurin Bevan.
Foot was educated initially in Plymouth, and was subsequently MP for Plymouth, Devonport so it was no surprise that he was a passionate supporter of the Argyle from his childhood and once remarked that he wasn't going to die until he had seen them play in the Premiership. I share the sentiment. Unlike Clement Freud though, he served for several years as a director of the club, seeing two promotions under his tenure.
For his 90th birthday, Foot was registered with the Football League as an honorary player and given the shirt number 90. This made him officially the oldest registered professional player in the history of football.
The boys could have done with a spiky left winger over the years and blow me there was one in the stands all along.....
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