Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi A-Go-Go.

Standing atop the tallest grave at Lockerbie Memorial Garden of Remembrance, Paul McBride QC and 'hang 'em high' shadow Tory spokesman Bill Aitken have served an outpouring of piss and fury over Kenny MacAskill's, as yet undeclared decision on the short future of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. Our subservient media torn between pretending to be humanitarian and being seen as the last bastion of Justice, diligently quote their every dribbling utterance.

Even failed presidential candidate Senator John McCain and failed vice presidential candidate Senator Joseph Lieberman have chipped in with their two cents.

McCain hissed, "We have made clear to the Libyan authorities that we are resolutely opposed to his release."

Lieberman mumbled, "If Megrahi is released, there will be a very negative reaction by the American people."

I suppose that as McCain and Lieberman are elected representatives of the majority of those victims of Pan Am Flight 103, it would be churlish to deny them their views and opinions on this dilemma.

However, what really sticks in the fucking craw is that the Senators made clear their views, not in Washington, but in Tripoli, Libya, where they are part of a delegation selling MILITARY EQUIPMENT to Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab leader Muammar Gaddafi

Hey, don't worry it's only "non-lethal defence equipment", which naturally includes things like parts and accessories for killing machines they may have bought from elsewhere. And, hey Gaddafi's record on human rights might be a bit iffy with reported disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests, detention of political prisoners, a lack of civil liberties, restrictions on freedom of religion and discrimination against women and ethnic minorities, but all of that pales by comparison when you consider all that lovely black expensive OIL just waiting to be dug out of the sand and transported to the good ol USA.

Oh but fear not, 'we' are not being left out of the piggy bank, Libya are looking like the preferred bidders for Shell's Stanlow complex, Britain's second largest oil refinery near Ellesmere Port for a bargain £1.5 billion.



Meanwhile, according to the Tripoli Post. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's 95 year old mother is keeping the front door open as she expects her boy home from his "English jail" before Ramadan. She hasn't been told that he's dying of prostrate cancer, because her family fear the news may kill her. But hey, what's one more victim...

http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=3462

Naturally, professional baldy man-child Labour's £500 Justice spokesman, Richard Baker, has gone very quiet. One can imagine he's under strict instructions to shut the fuck up, hopefully he hasn't done a wee wee in anticipation of shrieking at MacAskill for whichever decision he takes.

Thou eunuchs of language, thou pimps of gender, murderous accouchers of infant learning, thou pickled herrings in the puppet show of nonsense.

One rule for them, another for the working class punter.

Benefits claimant fined for fraud

Once again the court has signalled that benefit fraud
will be dealt with firmly in a case at Dumfries Sheriff
Court this week.

Nicola Rae aged 30 of Mossvale, Lochmaben was fined
£400 following a joint investigation between the
Department of Work and Pensions and Dumfries and
Galloway Council.

Nicola Rae admitted that she failed to advise both
organisations that she was employed by a cleaning
company. This resulted in her obtaining Income
Support of £1667.30, Housing Benefit of £359.53,
and Council Tax Benefit of £127.67 to which
she was not entitled. She is currently paying back the
overpayment and in addition has to pay the fine.

Dumfries and Galloway Council takes benefit theft
very seriously. Although the vast majority of people
who claim benefits are honest, those who commit
benefit theft are picking  the pockets of law-abiding
taxpayers.

The latest government estimate (2008/09) is that
£900 million is lost from public funds every year through
all benefit fraud. Fraud in Housing Benefit is estimated
to cost £210 million every year.

How to stop speeding on Scottish roads.

Gay scientists isolate the Christian gene.

Councillor Gunn, you cannot be cured.

Happy Birthday High MacDiarmid

David Mundell MP Out in Africa.

Interesting to note that the Shadow Secretary for the State of Scotland, David Mundell was absent from tonight's Newsnicht, wherein Gordon Brewer spoke about reform of the expenses farrago to an assortment of MP's notably Anne Begg Labour, Michael Moore Lib Dem, John Mason SNP and the Conservative candidate for Renfrewshire East, the man who takes on Jim Murphy, Richard Cook.

http://www.voterichardcook.blogspot.com/


As interesting as it was to see the man who will probably thrash Jim Murphy, Richard Cook, and hear the same platitudes from him as every other Tory candidate, my interest was piqued that he was standing in for Mundell, because the MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale,Tweeddale and err Africa was again off in Africa, a mere few hours after Parliament closed for business until October.

One might have thought that given the pasting Mr Mundell received over his expenses, wreaths, cameras, photoshop, photographers, calendars, owning a flat in Edinburgh paid for by the Scottish Parliament that he might have taken some time out and thought rather than galivant off to Africa, again, I'll stay at home and work towards assuring my constituents that I'm not in politics for all the freeby trips I can get or the photo opportunities. Alas and alack no. Mr Mundell is out in Africa, last year he visted Rwanda, he met the President, the Justice Minister, he even had time to see the community service being done by those guilty of genocide crimes. All in all he had a jolly good time, he even had a romp in a bed with seven other Tories...

http://www.davidmundell.org.uk/Blog.aspx?Y=2008&M=Aug&d=08#08

He was also over in Afghanistan last year dismissing the squaddies complaints as just grumbles...what does he do for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedsdale?

Scottish Labour Finally Confirmed to be Living in La La Land.

Now we all know Ms Davidson's history as former spin doctor for Labour, formerly married to Labour MEP David Martin, who for some strange reason chose a life of croissants and café au lait in Strasbourg over breakfast evry morning for the rest of his life with Lorraine... author of Jack McConnell's 'biography'. Sadly no longer available in a charity shop near you...and so on.

However, I digress, as always,when she penned this clarion call to the Labour supporting readers of The Times... did she at any point pause and think to herself, "what mince this is, why oh why do SLAB continue to hit their head against this particular brick wall, when it has never done them any good?"


Scottish Labour's new new strategy from today's edition of The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6711039.ece
Iain Gray, the Scottish Labour Leader, has ordered his party to step up attacks on Alex Salmond in the wake of a series of setbacks for the First Minister.
Senior Labour strategists claim “the gloves are now off” as far as the First Minister is concerned in the run-up to the Glasgow North East by-election and next year's general election.
The decision to concentrate opposition fire on the First Minister marks a shift in Labour thinking.
Until now Labour has opted to focus on SNP ministers whom they perceived as weaker members of the Nationalist administration - such as Fiona Hyslop and Kenny MacAskill.
One Labour source said: “There was a feeling that Alex Salmond was popular and seen to be doing a good job so we took the view that he would get himself into trouble without us targeting him.”
However, a recent series of focus group meetings carried out for the party revealed that voters may be turning against the First Minister.
A highly placed party source said: “The word arrogance keeps coming up, particularly among women. People are also beginning to see our argument about broken promises.”
The change in strategy comes after several Labour MSPs argued that the “hands off Salmond” approach wasn't working and that the First Minister was being given free rein.
Labour now plans to target the First Minister in a series of attacks blaming him for “conning the people of Scotland” over plans to abolish council tax, wipe out student debt and bring in grants for first-time home buyers.
The move to target Mr Salmond was taken after a series of recent reports criticising the First Minister's judgement.
Mr Salmond came under fire over his decision to appear on a TV programme, instead of attending a meeting with the drinks giant Diageo to discuss job losses, and earlier this week the former head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Andy Hayman, told The Times that Mr Salmond had to be persuaded against starting a turf war following the terror attack on Glasgow airport.
A Labour spokesperson said: “This has been one of the worst weeks for Alex Salmond, with a major gaffe on Diageo, his by-election chaos, and the damning revelations from Andy Hayman on his handling of the Glasgow airport bombings.
“Alex Salmond has been personally damaged by these revelations and not come out well from the scrutiny he has been put under.”
The SNP last night dismissed Labour's new strategy. A spokeswoman for the party said: “The SNP in government and across the country is continuing to work in partnership with the people of Scotland to meet their ambitions for their country.
“While opposition parties bicker over ridiculous strategy or personal attacks the SNP will continue to govern with the support of the people of Scotland and to focus all our efforts on protecting jobs and supporting communities as we work through Labour's recession.”
Senior Conservatives also attacked Labour, claiming they have failed to hold Mr Salmond to account. A Tory source said: “The Labour Party is terrified of Alex Salmond and no wonder, he got rid of Wendy Alexander and his rips Iain Gray to shreds at First Minister's Questions.”
A Tory spokesman added: “Annabel Goldie is the only opposition leader who has really challenged Alex Salmond.”

What does the laziest man in Scottish politics get up to on a sunny weekend?

Why if your the one time First Minister of Scotland and spurned future High Commissioner of Malawi you accept a freebie to the VIP section of T in the Park, where you can hang out with a topless Jarvis from Iglu and Harty (No, me neither) an American electronically enhanced popular rock beat combo.



Ach well it beats working in your shit-hole of a constituency...

Labour smears prompt James Dornan to step aside as SNP candidate in North East Glasgow.

I suspect this one is going to be even dirtier than Glenrothes.

STATEMENT BY JAMES DORNAN

“In light of a report in one of today's newspapers, I have decided to step aside as the SNP candidate in the Glasgow North East by-election.

“In doing so, I want to make clear that I am not ashamed of having experienced financial difficulties in the past. Many people know only too well how that feels.

“I am taking legal advice on the suggestion that there may have been a technical breach of charities legislation by virtue of me being appointed a partner director of Culture and Sport Glasgow by Glasgow City Council, a position for which I received no financial gain whatsoever. However, I am absolutely clear that throughout the period of the Protected Trust Deed, I acted in good faith. I took advice about its implications and was advised that it was not a bar to holding public office.

“However, I am not prepared to allow this issue to overshadow the by-election or to be exploited by Labour as a distraction from the real issues of the campaign. Labour has let the people of Glasgow and Scotland down. This by-election is a chance for people to focus on the issues that matter and to elect an MP who will fight their corner. I believe that the SNP offers the prospect of real change for Glasgow North East and I am not prepared to allow allegations about me to get in the way of that.”

A spokesperson for the SNP said:

“This is an honourable decision by James Dornan. He is clearly putting the interests of the SNP and the Glasgow North East constituency ahead of his own.

“There is absolutely no shame in experiencing financial difficulties. Many people - particularly in this economic climate - know what that is like. Nor is having a Protected Trust Deed any bar to holding public office or being a candidate for election.

“However, James has decided that he wants to take legal advice on the suggestion that his appointment as a partner director of Culture & Sport Glasgow might have constituted a technical breach of charities legislation. He has made clear that he doesn't want this issue to be a distraction from the real issues facing people in Glasgow North East and he is to be commended for that.

“The Party will now move immediately to arrange a selection meeting to choose a new candidate and we look forward to the campaign ahead in which we will contrast the positive record of the SNP with the failed policies of Labour.”

The full Tom Gordon story here.

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2519484.0.snp_election_candidate_in_bankruptcy_question.php

Sarah Brown emerged fully formed from a rainbow and was carried to this earth by a litter of minty breathed puppies.

Or so the media would have us believe.

The Daily Mail reports today that Sarah Brown changed outfits three times in one day at the G8 summit, they fail to say whether this wardrobe included her wonderful cock jacket.

Everyone needs a Willie.

Did he ask it because everybody knows the Baron likes the cock?

Save Johnny Walker

First they demolished the wonderful Walker Apartments and gave us out of town shopping malls that killed the town centre. Willie McKelvie Labour MP and the Labour council did nothing.

Then they promised to bring their Headquarters to Edinburgh. They lied. The feeble fifty Labour MP's did nothing.

Now they've decided to shaft the remaining few folk in Killie with jobs by closing down a plant that's nearly 200 years old. Labour MP Des Browne, claimed it was the SNP's fault.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/videos-pics/



Sign the petition. Boycott Diageo don't drink Guinness until they get the message.

http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/29112.html

Cooncillor Willie Scobie, the Voltaire of Stranraer

Open Bins Attract Vermin.

Poor old Willie Scobie the Labour councillor for Stranraer, sees himself as the bête noire of local housing authority Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP). So miffed is he with DGHP for having the temerity to replace 400 sub-standard post WW2, leaking, expensive to heat, miserable shit hole cooncil hooses with 600 state of the art, semi-detached, eco houses funded by DGHP, D&G Council and shock horror the Scottish Government, that he has taken grumbling to a new level. Since being turfed out of administration in May 2007, Willie has submitted a grand total of 765 email cyber whinges to DGHP's complaints officer.

DGHP have had to spend £40,000 on an independent investigation into Councillor Scobie’s complaints. Rather unsurprisingly, none of them were found to have any basis in fact

So prodigious is Oor Willie, that it could reasonably be said, Voltaire was lazy by comparison. The amount of wasted resources in terms of DGHP staff time in dealing with Willie's cyber moaning was enough to have built an entire row of fabby new houses.

In a delicious piece of "get it right up ya" DGHP published a league table a league table of email complaints. Willie was top with 765, second, Labour MP Russell Brown on 203 whines; third Dumfries Labour MSP Elaine Murray on 190 grumbles; 4th Dumfriesshire Tory MP David Mundell on 129 hissy fits; and bringing up the rear Stranraer Labour Councillor Grahame Forster on 134 "why no's". Those crazy unionists...

The photo above is from a front page of local blatt, the Stranraer Free Press, with some poor chap who was left a note on his bin saying the midgie men couldn't take it away as it was opened by more than two inches...The poor sod, didn't realise that the sort of grumble that we'd all moan to a mate in the pub about would spur Willie into full on media action. "Alert the media, a man is unhappy at being asked to close his bin lid."

Certainly the comment from an anonymous council spokesperson, that "open bins would not be collected, as they attract vermin" has raised many a chuckle with those in DGHP and further afield. Poor Willie.

Andy Murray anti-English myth debunked by Tim Henman

Trident--- a modest proposal.

As taxpayers we are required to make a financial contribution to Trident through our taxes. These taxes paid for the illegal war in Iraq and the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.

Last week as David Cameron rattled his sabre in Scotland's direction and told us he would be replacing Trident and keeping it in Scotland, I was reminded of an elderly friend, whose family are Quakers. During WW2 he was one of the 60,0000 people who registered as conscientious objectors.

As a Conchie he suffered from the white feathers, abuse in the street, shunned by fellow University students etcetera. After a couple of court appearances, he was directed to accept a non-combatant role as a battlefield ambulance driver. The horrors of what he had to pick up and identify still haunt him to this day. After this stint he was directed to the UXB squad and spent the remaining war years diffusing unexploded bombs. All the time amidst accusations of cowardice.

He survived it all to marry a wonderful girl, have a happy family life, two kids, a successful career. A lifetime supporter of Labour he campaigned tirelessly against nuclear weapons, illegal wars, inequality, he even campaigned to get Jim Murphy elected in East Renfrewshire. Something he now regrets. He's not a nationalist, but does recognise that an Independent Scotland will not be the end of the world and that our people might be better served by having the right to self determination. His family took in victims of the Spanish Civil War, his pride in old Labour runs through his veins.

I've digressed long enough, one of the conversations we had about Trident, was the insane cost of it. He mentioned that the Quakers have always attempted to withold a portion of their income tax from being spent on War and its weapons. He had several times decided not to pay taxes for others to kill or prepare to kill in his name. This resulted in visits from bailiffs to recover money, and once a rebate from the Inland Revenue which had taken too much tax in the first place.

All this got me thinking, that we as a nation have become so very passive in protesting. We take to the streets to march in polite order to protest genocide in Iraq and then go home and watch news as entertainment. We no longer allow ourselves to be pissed off to such an extent that we actually do something.

The Quaker idea of withholding taxes which fund weapons of mass destruction is something we should all aspire to. If enough people withhold a proportional amount of their taxes, the already overburdened legal system would be teetering on the verge of collapse, pro Trident politicians of all stripes would be forced to listen. We already know that Scotland does not want Trident, we specifically do not want the UK's entire nuclear warhead capability sitting in the water a mere 25 miles from our largest city. David Cameron, might just realise that Scotland does not want Trident.

It's time to take a stand.

Bizarre discovery in Michael Jackson's basement

Ok, one tribute to Michael Jackson, as done by Ian Brown.

SNP supporters are sartorial, erudite, insousciant and above all else dashed dapper. Not according to an obscure blogging Labour councillor.

"Matted hair; missing teeth; dribbling mouths; filthy beards; scars; fierce stares and fiercer tattoos; growling monosyllabic grunts and the unmistakeable stench of last nights booze; and the men were no better."

Councillor Terry Kelly (Him ur a socialist)

http://councillorterrykelly.blogspot.com/2009/06/3-ring-circus-that-is-renfrewshire.html

What does this handsome man, who sees nothing wrong with disparaging voters who democratically express their political preference as SNP look like?

Ladies gird your loins. Gents check your hetero-meter is set to max.

I give you, Councillor Terry Kelly!




Phew what a scorcher!

The definition of irony.

You'll Believe a Man Can Lie

"We cannot allow what happened in America to happen here."



Gordon Brown Helped Cause the Crisis

British voters have figured it out. Will Labour Party leaders?

By KEITH MARSDEN From today's Wall Street Journal Europe.

Shocked by the parliamentary expenses scandal and suffering from the recession, British voters have shown their displeasure with Gordon Brown's government. Labour was trounced in local and European elections earlier this month.

Despite this electoral drubbing, Labour lawmakers expressed their confidence in the prime minister on June 8. Given his supposedly successful management of the economy while chancellor of the exchequer, the majority felt that he was best qualified to lead Britain out of the recession, which, they claim, was caused by external forces, not by Mr. Brown's policies.

The facts show otherwise. Britain's economic downturn began when its house price and household debt bubbles inevitably burst, beginning with the run on Northern Rock in September 2007. These bubbles had swollen to higher levels, relative to average price and income levels respectively, than in the U.S. and other major economies.

In relation to their long-term average, British house prices soared by 88.5% between 1997 and 2007, according to the OECD. In the U.S. the rise was 64.5%. Britain's household debt rose to 176.9% of disposable income in 2007 from 104.8% in 1997. During the same period, U.S. household debt rose only to 105.8% of disposable income from 64.3% in 1997. The increases in Germany and France were considerably lower.

Gordon Brown tolerated and even encouraged the formation of these bubbles for several reasons. The traditional sources of Britain's economic strength, the mining and manufacturing industries, shrank during his term as chancellor. Total mining sector output, including oil and natural gas, dropped by 31% between 2000 and 2007. Total manufacturing production was stagnant during this period.

The gross value, in inflation-adjusted prices, of output from all production industries combined fell by 3% between 2000 and 2007. Their employment level dropped by nearly 1.1 million over the same period. These trends were not an inevitable result of shifts in comparative advantages that are said to occur in advanced economies. Real manufacturing output rose at an average annual rate of 2.2% in the U.S., 1.2% in Germany and 1.1% in France between 2000 and 2006, according to the World Bank.

Eager to achieve the illusion of steady progress in the overall economy, Mr. Brown needed the rapid expansion of financial services, and the real estate and business services industries. Their output soared by 48% and 33% respectively from 2000 to 2007, compared with 19% for the overall economy. Their combined employment level reached nearly 6.7 million in 2007, an increase of more than one million.

Rapid expansion of consumer credit in turn boosted demand for wholesale and retail products and services. The booming financial and real estate sectors, with their inflated salaries, bonuses, and profits generated by unsustainably rapid credit growth, also filled Mr. Brown's tax coffers.

Thus, despite the decline in corporate and personal income and national insurance tax revenues from the production industries, he was able to fulfill Labour's 1997 election promise of expanding public services. The output of health and social services increased by 26.3% from 2000 to 2007. Employment in the category "other service activities," which includes public administration and government services, grew by 1.3 million between 2000 and 2007, reaching almost 10 million -- nearly a third of all British jobs.

So the boom in the financial and real estate sectors served Mr. Brown's political interests well. And he was by no means a passive bystander to their growth. He urged them along in several policy speeches. Introducing on April 1, 2005, a policy document entitled "Homebuy: Expanding the Opportunity to Own," he insisted that "this Britain of ambition and aspiration is a Britain where more and more people must and will have the chance to own their own homes."

Ignoring the inability of many house buyers to pay their mortgages, he touted this message to City bankers in successive annual speeches at the Mansion House in London, promising them "light-touch regulation." Already in 1997 he transferred the responsibility for bank regulation from the Bank of England to the inexperienced Financial Services Authority. He also curbed the central bank's ability to keep asset inflation in check by removing housing costs from the price index.

Mr. Brown also repeatedly praised the City's "innovative skills," bragging in 2006 that it was responsible for 40% of the world's over-the-counter derivatives trade -- which includes the now infamous repackaged subprime mortgages. He gave financial institutions a false sense of security by telling them on June 16, 2004, that "I am determined to ensure that we can lock in greater stability not just for a year, or for an economic cycle, but in this generation."

With this assurance from the chancellor, how could anyone expect bankers to forego juicy profits and bonuses by avoiding innovative but unduly risky practices? Because of the large size and global reach of Britain's financial sector, and the many newfangled financial instruments it created and marketed, Mr. Brown cannot honestly deny all responsibility for Britain's recession.

Given these historic facts, Britain's Labour legislators should think again about sticking with the prime minister. Choosing a new leader with integrity and managerial competence is the party's best chance to win greater respect from voters.

Mr. Marsden, a member of the Council of the Centre for Policy Studies, was formerly an operations adviser at the World Bank and senior economist at the International Labor Organization.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124500992205413331.html

Hello kalaallit

A big welcome to Greenland, which today takes a big step towards replacing Montenegro as the worlds 'newest' country.

A referendum on Greenland's autonomy was held on 25 November 2008. It was passed with 75% approval.

Self-government gives the 60,000, mostly-Inuit residents of the world's largest island greater control over natural resources and justice, and paves the way toward full nation status within decades.

If only.....

http://www.canada.com/Greenland+takes+step+full+independence+Sunday/1716779/story.html

Whiter than White?

That was young Tony Blair speaking to his 419 fresh faced troops on May 8th 1997.

12 years on the list of sleaze, expenses, smears, de-selections, humped in the polls, cabinet splits, sackings, most undemocratic cabinet since Gladstone in the 1870's, loss of hegemony in Scotland and Wales is never ending.

Then this morning we had the release of MP's expenses on redacted form, the day after Michael Martin quit as Speaker.

I looked into my local MP Russell Brown's expenses to see how much black out there was compared to his own account. Whilst trawling through I was surprised to see that he rents his office from Labour Party Properties Limited, he claims £780 a month, which is a bit on the high side as he also shares it with Elaine Murray MSP who claims from the Scottish Parliament...

What really interested me was this rather shady and secretive Labour Party Properties Limited. This is a company wholly owned by the, naturally, the Labour Party. according to their year end reports for 2007, they own tangible assets worth £4,071,000 How much of this was accrued through the assured mortgages for Labour MP's paid for by the public purse? Accoding to my dunce cap counting they pull in almost a million pounds in rental and lease arrangements per year. Assets bought with taxpayers’ cash used as collateral to seek loans?

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/58501/Labour-Party-Statements-of-Accounts-2007.pdf

Further digging brought forth this excellent article from 2001, written by of all people, Jason Allardyce, then with what passed for a reasonable newspaper, Scotland on Sunday.

http://news.scotsman.com/comment/Fit-to-hold-Office.2284415.jp

This is an excellent article, and firmly points the finger of blame at New labour for the venal corrupt way they have gone about funding their party through the public purse, if you do anything today, take ten minutes and read the whole article.




The piece was written after Elizabeth Fikin, the Westminster Standards commissioner was driven from office by senior figures in the Labour Party, notably Dr John Reid. Her crime? To question, to investigate, and to report her conclusions on MP's expenses and allowances scams to the Standards and Privileges Committee, who dumped them and her.

Any Labourites care to tell us, why you continue to support this right-of-centre, politically corrupt cabal?

You won't fool the children of the Devolution. No, no, nooooh..

"At present, we have a 'pocket money parliament' - under the Calman proposals, Scotland would have a Saturday job but the pay would be deducted from our pocket money." Mike Russell Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution.

Odd is it not, that inflamatory comments on the Sunday Express cannot be rebutted?

Suddenly Swine Flu isn't so funny any longer

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8099832.stm


The patient had underlying health problems which may have been exacerbated by the virus. I note that one of the tabloid Sundays was carrying a story this morning claiming that Scotland had more sufferers than Mexico. Why?

Labour on thin ice as support for SNP soars from 18% to 31% over the past four years.

Sunday Times carries a YouGov poll this morning which makes for even more bad reading for Iain Gray, Jim Murphy and Gordon Brown.

The Labour party could be set to lose more than a third of its MPs. Notably:

Des Browne, the former Scottish secretary and defence secretary;

Nigel Griffiths, the former small businesses minister;

James McGovern, the MP for Dundee West;

Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and East Falkirk);

Frank Doran (Aberdeen North);

Ann McKechin (Glasgow North);

Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East);

Anne Begg (Aberdeen South);

Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith);

Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire);

Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway)

Add to that the increasingly shoogly pegs for Jim Devine, Anne Moffat, Alastair Darling, Eric Joyce and Jim Murphy and it could be difficult to envisage a Labour presence after the next General Election.

Sample Size: 1048
Fieldwork: 2nd - 4th June 2009

SNP 31% (up from 18% in 2005)
Labour 28% (down from 40% in 2005)
Conservative 17% (up from 16% in 2005)
Lib/Dem 16% (down from 23% in 2005)

Take ten miutes out and love this wee animation.

Please Say Something - Full Length from David OReilly on Vimeo.

Vote twat.

At a time of economic crises, expenses sleaze, electoral meltdown, global warming, plague, pestilence and famine. It's good to know that my MP is doing his very best for the people of Dumfrie. I don't know whether it's the subject matter or the illiterate style it's been crayoned in, but sheeesh!


MP tackles sticky gum problem

Dumfries and Galloway's Labour MP is tackling the sticky problem of discarded gum on streets and pavements.

Russell Brown has written to top gum manufacturer Wrigley urging to invest in biodegradable alternatives.

He believes it is wrong for local authorities to have to pick up the bill for cleaning up gum. He has invested in researching biodegradable gum.

http://tinyurl.com/ljtxxt

Having finally mastered the idiots guide to loading video, I present the brilliant bcnsco's 'Preserve the Union'.

Fuar's ma mince?

Needs more plays, get doon wi the chielmaster.

We are Devo.

Tomorrow, we witness the SNP - Plaid Cymru debate calling on the dissolution of the UK parliament. Potentially if enough Labour MP's grow a spine, the SNP and PC could bring down a Labour Government leading to a Conservative government. Sound familiar?

All my political life, I've heard Labourites whine that it was the SNP who brought down the Callaghan Labour Government in 1979, which lead to Thatcher and the decimation of Scotland's heavy industries. The vile old Willie Ross accusation of Tartan Tories has been thrown about with great gusto.

Try telling them that Callaghan made no mention of the SNP in his retirement biography and it falls on deaf ears, try telling them that the reason the SNP put down a motion of censure in the Commons was down to the work of conniving anti-Devolutionist Scottish Labour MP's and you have the full on digits in ears whistling Land of Hope and Glory mentalism.

In 1974 using the "It's Scotland's Oil" slogan- the SNP were on a high with 11 Westminster seats - it looked as if the SNP were unstoppable, and that Scotland was on its way to independence.

One person south of the border truly hated the very idea of Devolution, step forward Hilda Margaret Thatcher. When Harold Wilson launched his Devolution Bill to create elected Assemblies in Scotland and Wales, Thatcher whipped the Tory troops into line. Edward Heath (who had promised a Scottish assembly) fumed and sulked on the back benches, Malcolm Rifkind and the late Alick Buchanan-Smith resigned from the shadow cabinet.

In 1976 Harold Wilson's devolution bill sailed through the Commons with a majority of 45, only the Tories were opposed. All looked rosy only for it to founder in Committee in 1977. It was replaced by two separate Bills, one for Scotland and one for Wales.



In January 1978, the 32 yeard old ginger garden gnome Robin Cook, came up with a lovely wheeze, chummying up to his tame stooge, George Cunningham, the Scottish-born MP for Islington South, the pair concocted a plan to scupper the planned referendum. With the support of five Labour MPs including Old Etonian Tam Dalyell they managed to insert into the devolution bill the reservation that unless 40% of the total electorate voted "yes", then the measure would fall. Not 40% of the vote, but 40% of the electorate. Which was something that no political party had ever achieved. This was Westminster dirty tricks par excellence.



I vaguely remember the period running up to the Devolution Referendum of March 1979, I was 16, too young to vote and a frustrated horny young buck, who was still into the Clash. The Labour Party in Scotland seemed to be going through one of its periodic eat-your-babies moments. Brian Wilson, Robin Cook and Tam Dalyell roared at Mary Marquis and John Toye that devolution was the work of Satan. The "Labour Movement Yes" campaign, ran by of all people an awkward student known as Gordon Brown was intent on winning devoultion on its own, avoiding the cross-party "Yes for Scotland" campaign. Helen Liddell, then secretary of the Scottish Labour party (now anonymous in Australia) claimed "We will not be soiling our hands by joining any umbrella 'Yes' group."

With the waters well and truly muddied, to such an extent that the electorate were as confused as a first time voter faced with a Douglas Alexander ballot sheet, the referendum went ahead on March 1, 1979. The turnout was 63.8% low by the standards of the day, massive by comparison to last weeks Euro referendum.

The 'YES' vote had a majority of 100,000. One million two hundred and thirty thousand, nine hundred and thirty seven people living in Scotland voted YES. The proportion of the electorate who had voted "yes" was 33% - short of the Cook -Cunningham 40% rule. As it was intended to, the 40% rule derailed devolution for the best part of twenty years. Ten years on from devolution, we're only now beginning to see how a Government wholly committed to the well being of the Scottish people might actually work.

The 40% rule was undemocratic and the referendum results justified the establishment of a devolved assembly in Scotland. When the SNP group approached Callaghan and asked him to reconsider the 40% amendment, he refused, and consigned himself to the political wilderness. Even if he had survived the motion of censure, Callaghan was toast. The 1970's were memorable for choppers, punk, strikes and power cuts. labour had been found wanting, thrawn to the Unions, laughed at by industry.

Within weeks of the General Election, the Scotland Act was binned by a triumphalist Thatcher. Once again, home rule was off the agenda.

Tomorrow, Parliamentarians of all stripes get a chance to vote on a fractured Labour Government. The contrast between Westminster and Holyrood has never been more vivid. It's time to get Labour out, and elect enough SNP MP's who have one sole aim, to deliver Independence to this small Northern European country that just wants to be normal.

George Cunningham, the man who dashed the aspirations of a country for a generation, is still alive. He left the Labour Party in the early 1980's and was one of the co-founders of the SDP, problem is nobody really remembers him.

Anyone else noticed how quiet poor old AM2's blog is today?

Here he is after receiving the news that despite his best efforts of negative whining about the SNP over the past two years plus, that the pesky electorate have taken Iain Gray and Gordon Brown outside and laughed in their ugly little Unionist faces.

Hell hath no fury like a Doonhamer scorned.

Dr Ian Gibson, the Dumfries born Labour MP for Norwich has decided to fuck over Gordon Brown. Gibson has been barred from standing for the Labour party at the next general election, following questions about his expenses. He reportedly claimed for a flat in which his daughter lived rent-free.

He claimed £80,000 in taxpayers’ money for a flat where his daughter lived with her partner. He then sold the west London property to his daughter and her partner William Turner in April this year for £162,000 - less than he bought it for in 1999 and well below the current market rate.

The Telegraph reported that Dr Gibson published his expenses on his Internet website earlier this week, but blacked out key details. He's in good company, David Mundell tried the same trick and omitted to mention his photoshop addiction at £65 a month, thankfull the Telegraph righted that omission.

Flipping Fuck, Tony McNulty has just resigned too!



Gibson's resignation means that Broon now has a definite bye-election on his hands.



How many will go after Monday's European results are out?

Ha ha ha ha and furthemore ha! Caroline Flint has just gone!

Meltdown

Alan Sugar will be the Enterprise Czar...So the country is in the worst recession for decades and unemployment is rapidly rising. What do you do? Hire an "Enterprise Czar" who is famous for telling people they are fired on national telly. Brilliant. Lord Alan Sugar

Alan Johnson Home Secretary, he used to be a postie... you may have read that.

Arch Blairite Hutton resigns as Defence Secretary when Blighty is at war on two fronts!

Katie Price to be Woman's Minister

Ed Balls, stays on as Kiddy secretary

Darling to retain his post as chancellor.


What next?

Cabinet of the all the talents.

Who's next?

The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP Shoogly peg

The Rt Hon David Miliband MP Reshuffle survivor?

The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP After brtual murder of two French students should be sacked.

The Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP Oops

The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP Eye on the prize

The Rt Hon John Hutton MP Mad stary eyes, likely contestant in future staring competition.

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson PC Prince of Darkness

The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP Nonentity

The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP Semi detached

The Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP Cauldron for hire

The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP Oops

The Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP E-X-P-E-N-S-E-S

The Rt Hon Ed Balls MP Chancellor in waiting...Telegraph expenses couples story in waiting too.

The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP Saving up for new bike.

The Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP Thinks Broon doing great job. Sectionable.

The Rt Hon Baroness Ashton of Upholland PC Who?

The Rt Hon Baroness Royall of Blaisdon PC Who the fuck are these people?

The Rt Hon James Purnell MP Ooops

The Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP Plucked eyebrows, I mean come on!

The Rt Hon John Denham MP Who?

The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Ahh Mrs Balls - dad leading nuclear lobbyist. Telegraph in waiting

The Rt Hon Paul Murphy MP Is he even Welsh?

The Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP Has been very, very quiet. Completely off the radar, apart from informing the radar that he voted for Susan Boyle in Britain's Got Extra Chromosomes.

Take you pick. I'm thinking Darling, Milliband and Hoon.

According to the very latest YouGov poll commissioned by the Telegraph. 60% of voters want Gordon Brown to call a general election by the autumn rather than wait until next year.

The poll sample was a MASSIVE 5000 which must make it one of the most authoritative surveys around.

Asked when the next general election should be held, 18 per cent said Brown should go to the country within the next few weeks, 42 per cent said he should wait until the autumn, and 32 per cent believe he should wait until next year.

Voting intentions for the European elections, for those who can be arsed, show there is so little between Labour, the Lib Dems and Ukip that predicting which of them will come fourth is too close to call. While the Tories are ahead on 27 per cent, Labour is on 17 per cent, Ukip on 16 per cent and the Lib Dems 15 per cent. One unassailable fact is the rise of the BNP who appear to be on target for four MEP seats in London, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber.

Brown's popularity has slumped to a staggeringly low 17% putting him somewhere between Myra Hindley and Ian Huntley in the 'would you let them babysit the kids' stake.

All the smart money seems to be looking to Alan Johnson plunging the dagger into Brown within a week of the Euro election results and pitching for a General Election in the Autumn.

What place in history for Brown?

Has there ever been an unelected Prime Minister who didn't lead his party into a General Election? Gordon, this could be your legacy...


http://tinyurl.com/mbhja5

Purcell humps Gray

The Observer has a hugely interesting interview with Stephen Purcell, the leader of Glasgow City council and king in making/MSP/First Minister of Scotland/Leader of Labour in Holyrood, according to the vested interests.

Interesting passages include the following:

"Disillusioned party activists are facing up to a generation of wandering in the wilderness, out of power and unable to stop the country sleepwalking into separatism as it grows accustomed to life under a nationalist administration."

"His words will smooth the furrowed brows of a handful of Labour MSPs, who have their eye on the national leadership after the decent but dull current leader, Iain Gray, is finally forced to leave office. Gray's fate was effectively sealed a few weeks ago when a poll showed that his recognition factor among voters was lower than that of Annabel Goldie, the redoubtable chief of the Scottish Tories. But there are influential business and media players in Scotland who want Purcell to be Labour's next first minister."

But the most telling is this comment, that effectively strolls up behind Iain Gray and guts him like a fish.


"New Labour as a brand is dead and the period of opposition we're having in Holyrood is giving us a chance to reflect on how we administer devolution. Look, there's no point in pretending that the SNP government has not done very well, given that none of their ministers had had any previous experience in government. There's no doubt the processes of devolution have been helped by having a minority government in Holyrood."

These few short words peal the death toll for New Labour and recognise what everyone in Scottish Labour knows, but wont say publicly. New Labour is Dead....Let's keep it that way.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/31/steven-purcell-glasgow-labour-elections

Major Eric Joyce, The First expenses Millionaire MP - come on down.

'This conversation may have cost me £160,000'... Major Eric Joyce, apologist in Chief for Blair on Newsnight, highest claimant on the Allowances list, claims a rented £500 a month flat in Falkirk is his main home, and his London home is his second, despite the fact that his wife works in Kent as a Head teacher and his daughters attend school there...has finally been rumbled.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1186953/This-conversation-cost-160-000-MP-claimed-1m-admits-failed-pay-capital-gains-tax.html

The Sunday Mail of all people have got him by his gineger short and curlies, painting him as a venal money grabbing, sleaze bucket. In doing so, they have managed to do what every Scottish paper knew to be the case, but singularly failed to do anything about.

The Mail on Sunday put it to him that since his wife and daughters lived at the family home in London, his wife worked as teacher in the South-East and his children have always gone to school in London, his London home must have been their main home, not their second home.

'I discussed it at great length with the Fees Office,' he said. 'There was always a possibility that we would move to Scotland.'

This sums up the Labour in Scotland for me.

"When first approached, Mr Joyce said he could not recall whether he or his wife owned the Croydon house. Nor could he recall whether he had paid capital gains tax on it."

He defended his decision not to pay capital gains tax, saying that from the point of view of the Inland Revenue, the Croydon house was genuinely his main home, not his second home.

The people of Falkirk deserve better than this poisonous dwarf, who is politics solely for the advance of his own bank balance.

Alan S, when you read this. Tell us about the good work he's done in Falkirk with his focus groups...

Malcolm Bruce and his big bright idea.

Once upon a time, there was a Wiberal Democwat called Malcolm. Malcolm had been sent to work in London by the good people's of Gordon, to represent them and make sure that no bad things happened to them.

Malcolm, bought a little flat in London, the people of Gordon paid for this.

Malcolm had an office on Inverurie, the people of Gordon paid for this.

Malcolm had a family house in Torphins - the people of Gordon paid for this...

Malcolm liked money, but didn't like dipping into his own pockets.

One day some rain dribbled into his conservatory. Malcolm decided that the people of Gordon 559 miles away, should pay for his leaky conservatory. They did, all £3,200 worth.

On another day Malcolm was sitting in his London apartment when a light bulb "EXPLODED" Malcolm was very scared. One minute light - the next utter darkness and confusion. There was only one solution, the good people of Gordon could pay for the complete rewiring of Malcolm's London pied a terre at a cost of £8757. They did

Malcolm is the President of the Wiberal Democwats in Scotland. At the next General Election, the good people of Gordon, might be tempted to hang Malcolm from an Inverurie lampost by his Liberal bollocks. Chances are they'll pay for the noose too.

The End.

'Don't tell us what we already know. Give us solutions'. Paul Martin MSP

The dilapidated and quite magnificent Springburn Winter Gardens. Waiting for someone to recognise its beauty and potential.



'Don't tell us what we already know. Give us solutions'. Paul Martin MSP

Springburn, lovely name, redolent of countryside streams, pastoral scenes, milkmaids, randy ploughboys, meadows, butterflys, daisy chains and so on...Then the Victorian age, St Rollox, 25% of the then worlds trains, heavy industry, migration, religious divide, social deprivation, closure, mass unemployment, drinking, poverty ill health, crime...

Kenneth Roy did an excellent piece in 'The Scottish Review'.

http://www.scottishreview.net/KRoy103.html

I read on with my maw slightly agape.

School leavers with no qualifications 300 per cent higher than the Scottish average.

Teenage pregnancies – 60 per cent higher

Deaths from lung cancer – 94 per cent higher

Heart disease – 40 per cent higher

Folk on income support – 130 per cent higher than the national average

Unemployment rate – 140 per cent higher.

I couldn't quite believe these figures so checked the source.

http://www.scotpho.org.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=2396&sID=2012

...and there it all was in black and white...or rather more blue and white.

CONSTITUENCY HEALTH REPORT 2001
A profile of the health of the people in Glasgow Springburn.

The respected academic authors said:

"A rounded view of this constituency would suggest that it has a considerably lower average household income, higher levels of
unemployment and a lower level of educational attainment among
school leavers compared to the Scottish average. Almost all the
health indicators compare poorly with the Scottish average, with
teenage pregnancy and lung cancer mortality being
particularly high in comparison."

They highlighted that the reason for this report:


"The aim of this profile is to focus the attention of politicians and
planners on health rather than disease, and to highlight the fact that
many factors other than medical care influence the health of
communities and individuals. It is intended to stimulate debate and
lead to action targeted at the determinants of health at a local level.
The profile is also for local residents to inform them about the
health of the constituency they live in."

The response of the elected members?



'Don't tell us what we already know. Give us solutions'. Paul Martin MSP

Amazingly enough this report was written in 2001 and presented to Martin and Son as a means of engaging them with the problems, opening it up to debate.

At the time Dad was the recently elected Speaker of the House of Commons. Possibly the most important post outside of the big three cabinet posts.

Son Paul, was midway through his first term as the local MSP and an important part of the Labour machine running Holyrood.

In the EIGHT years since this independent report was published, what have they done?

Surely, a father and son of the constituency would put their heads together and play their combined networking cards. They could have called in massive favours and brought jobs to the constituency, built new schools, invigorated the teachers, set up early intervention measures to stop teenage pregnancies, smoking heart disease.

Between them they had the means to turn around Springburn and invest some enthusiasm and ambition in it.

What did they do?

Scottish Labour Honourable Members aka the 39 Stumps

The 39 Stumps. Complete with expenses for 2007-8 Not including their salaries.

1. Douglas Alexander Paisley and Renfrewshire South Labour Party
£134,127 (487th)

2. Gordon Banks Ochil and South Perthshire Labour Party
2007-8 £171,106 (14th)

3. Anne Begg Aberdeen South Labour Party
£166,793 (34th)

4. Gordon Brown Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Labour Party
£124,454 (575th)

5. Russell Brown Dumfries and Galloway Labour Party
£165,025 (45th)

6. Des Browne Kilmarnock and Loudoun Labour Party
£146,941 (320th)

7. David Cairns Inverclyde Labour Party
£145,976 (336th)

8. Katy Clark North Ayrshire and Arran Labour Party
£156,852 (148th)

9. Tom Clarke Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Labour Party
£155,970 (173rd)

10. Michael Connarty Linlithgow and East Falkirk Labour Party
£183,466 (2nd)

11. Alistair Darling Edinburgh South West Labour Party
£151,904 (240th)

12. Jim Devine Livingston Labour Party
£169,133 (21st)

13. Ian Davidson Glasgow South West Labour Party
£170,014 (17th)

14. Brian Donohoe Central Ayrshire Labour Party
£163,390 (64th)

15. Frank Doran Aberdeen North Labour Party
£171,717 (11th)

16. Nigel Griffiths Edinburgh South Labour Party
£158,067 (123rd)

17. David Hamilton Midlothian Labour Party
£134,300 (484th)

18. Tom Harris Glasgow South Labour Party
£166,991 (32nd)

19. Jimmy Hood by name Lanark and Hamilton East Labour Party
£156,260 (163rd)

20. Adam Ingram East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow Labour Party 2007-8 £121,499 (591st) Remunerated directorships
Non-executive Chairman of SignPoint Secure Ltd.; emergency communications. (£45,001-£50,000)
Adam Ingram Advisory Limited, set up May 2008, to undertake consultancy work, to which is payable income from the following:
Non-executive Chairman of Argus Scotland Ltd; design and construction services in the urban environment. (£20,001-£25,000)
Director, International School for Security and Explosives Education (ISSEE) (non-executive). (£10,001-£15,000)
Consultant to Argus Libya UK LLP; design and construction services in the urban environment. (£20,001-£25,000)
Consultant to Electronic Data Systems Ltd (EDS); provision of IT services to public and private sector clients in the UK. (£50,001-£55,000)


21. Eric Joyce Falkirk Labour Party
£187,334 (1st)

22. Mark Lazarowicz Edinburgh North and Leith Labour/Co-operative
£165,171 (43rd)

23. Thomas McAvoy Rutherglen and Hamilton West Labour Party
£150,976 (254th)

24. John McFall West Dunbartonshire Labour/Co-operative
£161,121 (85th)

25. James McGovern Dundee West Labour Party
£171,989 (9th)

26. Anne McGuire Stirling Labour Party
£162,765 (69th)

27. Rosemary McKenna Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Labour Party £167,113 (29th)

28. Ann McKechin Glasgow North Labour Party
£147,535 (313th)

29. Michael Martin Glasgow North East Labour Party – Speaker
£74,522 (642nd)* Yeah right!

30. Jim Murphy East Renfrewshire Labour Party
£162,542 (72nd)

31. Sandra Osborne Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Labour Party
£128,701 (543rd)

32. Anne Picking aka Moffat the Bruiser East Lothian Labour Party
£168,255 (23rd)

33. John Reid Airdrie and Shotts Labour Party
£160,209 (98th)

34. John Robertson Glasgow North West Labour Party
£152,542 (229th)

35. Frank Roy Motherwell and Wishaw Labour Party
£158,637 (117th)

36. Lindsay Roy Glenrothes Labour Party
New boy hasn't learned the ropes yet.

37. Mohammad Sarwar Glasgow Central Labour Party
£174,882 (5th)

38. Jim Sheridan Paisley and Renfrewshire North Labour Party
£152,989 (217th)

39. Gavin Strang Edinburgh East Labour Party
£157,571 (131st)

Baron Blowhard. Student-Councillor-MP-Lord-MSP-Sponger.

The Baron has spent the last 24 hours harassing journalists in an attempt to deflect criticism away from the worst outbreak of trough swilling fever since time began. He's been on BBC News 24, Radio Scotland's Morning Extra, The Today Programme on Radio 4 and even poor old Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 show.

His modus operandi has been very simplistic, attack the interviewers when they pursue the question of rule bending trouser filling, ask how much they as public employees earn and then rubbish them as a waste of his taxes. His taxes? The tax he pays is taken from the pay WE give him. The man has spent a lifetime sucking at the public teat.

A look at his biography finds a trail leading from private school to University to councillor, MP, Lord and finally MSP and court jester.



He attended fee paying Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School alongside such hard-line socialists as Leon Brittan, Simon Schama, Sir Nicholas Serota and Brian Sewell.



Through to Edinburgh University, where he skipped on to the gravy train, after graduation and became full time President of the Scottish Union of Students.



After his presidency of SUS, he became Rector’s Assessor to the Rector of Edinburgh University and then from 1975-79 as Assessor from the Lothian Regional Council on the University Court.

Thankfully he also managed to get himself elected as a councillor in Edinburgh local government in May 1970. He was Vice-Chairman of Education and Bailie (Magistrate) on Edinburgh City Council, on which he served from l970 to l975.

In 1974, the Baron was elected to Lothian Regional Council where he was Chair of the Education Committee of the Council, of COSLA and of the Scottish Teachers Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee.

Ironically, he was also on the boards of Fettes College, Heriot’s and the Merchant Company and, more appropriately, Napier, Telford and Sighthill Colleges. He was a member of the General Teaching Council (GTC) and Chair of the Scottish Adult Literacy Agency.

He stood, unsuccessfully, for Parliament in West Edinburgh in June 1970 and in Edinburgh Pentlands in October l974 and was finally elected in South Ayrshire on 3rd May l979, when he defeated sitting MP Jim Sillars who had left Labour to form the Scottish Labour Party.

Fast forward to the end of the Baron’s life as an MP and we find a very wealthy man.

In 2005, he sold one Edinburgh property and bought another in the capital for £305,000 without a mortgage. He sold his home in Ayrshire for £600,000 - a deal that made him a £400,000 profit - and bought a cottage in Maybole for £280,000, again without a loan.

Then we discover that over a two-year period he claimed £45,000 for renting a London flat that his own mother left him in her will. That he had lived in since 1980, when his mother bought it. Naturally during the period 1980 to 2005 he also claimed expenses on that flat.

I'll not go into his drunken assualt on an old lady in London or his alleged touching relationships with the demi monde of Calton Hill or Ayr seafront.



Suffice it to say that, when it comes to lectures on fucking the public purse, Baron George Von Foulkes has no equal.