I was just reading about difficult calls made during elections and it reminded me of something so embarrassing it made me blush despite the fact that I was on the phone and nobody could see me. We don't make random phone calls, we are phoning specific people so you have to make sure that's who you've got on the end of the line.
Anyway I was looking for Jean Grant (I've changed the name obv) one night and phoned the number in Pollok. "Oh hello Mr Grant" I said when the phone was answered "can I speak to Mrs Grant please?". Can you guess the reply? "This IS Mrs Grant"! Earth swallow me up! It's also happened the other way round too. No wonder I don't like phone canvassing.
Showing posts with label #ge2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #ge2010. Show all posts
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Saturday, 8 May 2010
People power in the Coalition Street Soap Opera
Did you read my post earlier? The one about all the things I was going to do today having spent Friday glued to the TV watching developments unfold in the Coalition Street Soap Opera? Well I've done none of them!! Not true, I've read 4 pages of my book. Every time I turn away something else happens. Earlier this afternoon a crowd of 1000 plus gathered outside Lib Dem HQ shouting about voting reform.
They were making the point that the Lib Dems should only support whichever of the parties will back voting reform. They are quite right. And it's not going to be the Tories. If it is good but what do we do for the next 5 years? Just stand by and watch them cut our budgets and deny vulnerable people in desperate circumstances the support they need?
It's not that I think Labour is MUCH better, but they are not QUITE as right wing as the Tories and as I keep saying, their decision to move to the right in politics, gives the Tories the green light to move even further so it will be WORSE than it was last time. And whilst Labour might not be MUCH better, they won't get an awful lot done if they don't get the support of the SNP and Plaid Cymru.
Of course I wouldn't expect us to be holding them to ransom over and over (remember, we've handled minority government maturely in Scotland) but it will mean we can secure some concessions for Scotland thus softening the blow of the cuts that all three of the main Brit parties have promised! I hate talking about concessions, I don't want anyone else having control over my country but whilst they do, best to be in a protective position.
Anyway, it was great to see people out on the streets protesting peacefully but forcibly making their views known. Let's see if the Lib Dems sell out or hold firm.
My prediction now? Still a coalition with Lib Dems and Labour but no Gordon Brown at the helm. In fact I think GB has already made his mind up and will resign in the next few days. See if I'm wrong!
They were making the point that the Lib Dems should only support whichever of the parties will back voting reform. They are quite right. And it's not going to be the Tories. If it is good but what do we do for the next 5 years? Just stand by and watch them cut our budgets and deny vulnerable people in desperate circumstances the support they need?
It's not that I think Labour is MUCH better, but they are not QUITE as right wing as the Tories and as I keep saying, their decision to move to the right in politics, gives the Tories the green light to move even further so it will be WORSE than it was last time. And whilst Labour might not be MUCH better, they won't get an awful lot done if they don't get the support of the SNP and Plaid Cymru.
Of course I wouldn't expect us to be holding them to ransom over and over (remember, we've handled minority government maturely in Scotland) but it will mean we can secure some concessions for Scotland thus softening the blow of the cuts that all three of the main Brit parties have promised! I hate talking about concessions, I don't want anyone else having control over my country but whilst they do, best to be in a protective position.
Anyway, it was great to see people out on the streets protesting peacefully but forcibly making their views known. Let's see if the Lib Dems sell out or hold firm.
My prediction now? Still a coalition with Lib Dems and Labour but no Gordon Brown at the helm. In fact I think GB has already made his mind up and will resign in the next few days. See if I'm wrong!
Friday, 7 May 2010
How would you like your government to be hung?
Well! What a night, what a day, what a week it's going to be. In terms of the national picture I will make a prediction. I don't think the Lib Dems will go into coalition with the Tories. I think they'll end up in coalition with the Labour Party. The reason is because the one thing the Lib Dems want is voting reform, some system of PR and they are not going to get it with the Tories who seems to be offering only a committee to look into it.
If the Lib Dems wanted PR purely on a point of principle, I could see them caving in on this for a bit of power sharing - after all they were easily bought when it came to forming a coalition with Labour in Scotland. But PR is no longer just a principled stance, it's something that will pay huge dividends for them come the next general election. I know it's not a straight percentage split under the system they would prefer but in general terms, if you look at their share of the vote and then their share of the seats, you can see why it matters so much to them.
Last night they got 23% of the vote across the UK. For that they got 57 of the 650 seats which equates to 8.8%. The Tories on the other hand got 36% of the vote. 36% of the seats would have been 234 but instead they got 305.
Under a fairer PR system, the Lib Dems on 23% of the vote would have around 150 seats rather than just 57.
So, it would be madness for the Lib Dems to accept the fop from the Tories if there's a chance (and I think there is) that the Labour Party will actually accept proper voting reform.
My prediction is Labour, Lib Dem coalition with issue by issue support from other parties, including the SNP.
It's not just my prediction, it's what I pray will happen. For a start it will mean we do not have to be ruled by a Tory government again - the lack of humanity in society under a Tory government is almost too much to bear, Labour's bad enough but the Tories are worse and I've never argued any differently. I also don't really buy the argument that a Tory government will send Scottish people flocking to Independence but more on that another day.
Secondly it will be an opportunity for SNP MPs to protect Scotland because there will be times when the coalition will need our support and they certainly won't be getting blind support.
And finally, we can gain concessions not just in Westminster but in Holyrood too. For example, our MPs will support the coalition on a particular issue in return for MSPs supporting alcohol minimum pricing - they should be doing that anyway but they will play party politics!
I see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF VALUE for Scotland in a Tory / Lib Dem coalition. The Lib Dems are aware their vote has dropped in Scotland. The Tories still have only one seat in Scotland. They have nothing to gain from us and this coalition will not need the SNP so who will stand up for Scotland?
Never thought I'd hear myself say this but fingers crossed for a Labour / Lib Dem coalition with SNP concessions of support for an Independence referendum, the scrapping of Trident and my personal favourite, the promise to put Jim Murphy in Dungavel every time he annoys us. Exciting, unknown times and I'm loving the unfolding soap opera.
If the Lib Dems wanted PR purely on a point of principle, I could see them caving in on this for a bit of power sharing - after all they were easily bought when it came to forming a coalition with Labour in Scotland. But PR is no longer just a principled stance, it's something that will pay huge dividends for them come the next general election. I know it's not a straight percentage split under the system they would prefer but in general terms, if you look at their share of the vote and then their share of the seats, you can see why it matters so much to them.
Last night they got 23% of the vote across the UK. For that they got 57 of the 650 seats which equates to 8.8%. The Tories on the other hand got 36% of the vote. 36% of the seats would have been 234 but instead they got 305.
Under a fairer PR system, the Lib Dems on 23% of the vote would have around 150 seats rather than just 57.
So, it would be madness for the Lib Dems to accept the fop from the Tories if there's a chance (and I think there is) that the Labour Party will actually accept proper voting reform.
My prediction is Labour, Lib Dem coalition with issue by issue support from other parties, including the SNP.
It's not just my prediction, it's what I pray will happen. For a start it will mean we do not have to be ruled by a Tory government again - the lack of humanity in society under a Tory government is almost too much to bear, Labour's bad enough but the Tories are worse and I've never argued any differently. I also don't really buy the argument that a Tory government will send Scottish people flocking to Independence but more on that another day.
Secondly it will be an opportunity for SNP MPs to protect Scotland because there will be times when the coalition will need our support and they certainly won't be getting blind support.
And finally, we can gain concessions not just in Westminster but in Holyrood too. For example, our MPs will support the coalition on a particular issue in return for MSPs supporting alcohol minimum pricing - they should be doing that anyway but they will play party politics!
I see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF VALUE for Scotland in a Tory / Lib Dem coalition. The Lib Dems are aware their vote has dropped in Scotland. The Tories still have only one seat in Scotland. They have nothing to gain from us and this coalition will not need the SNP so who will stand up for Scotland?
Never thought I'd hear myself say this but fingers crossed for a Labour / Lib Dem coalition with SNP concessions of support for an Independence referendum, the scrapping of Trident and my personal favourite, the promise to put Jim Murphy in Dungavel every time he annoys us. Exciting, unknown times and I'm loving the unfolding soap opera.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Champagne chancer at the ready
One of our members, Mary, answered a call at the SNP's Glasgow office yesterday and it was a champagne salesman. He was quite persistant and said he "knew for a fact" that the SNP would be requiring a "large consignment" of champagne come Friday morning.
Not sure if he's a psychic or a chancer but we liked his style!
Not sure if he's a psychic or a chancer but we liked his style!
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