I thought I would give you the high and low points of the SNP Conference for me on Thursday. The high point was the debate on nuclear weapons, and the unanimous vote on show of cards for unilateral nuclear disarmament. That was all heartwarming enough. But what really made my day was watching at close quarters the facial expression of arch Blairite Andrew Rawnsley of the Observer during the debate. He went from incomprehension, as though everyone were speaking Gaelic, to a kind of rictus of disgust, and then his corded neck and cheek muscles started positively twitching in hatred. I feared for a moment it was apoplexy. Priceless, and well worth the cost of the rail ticket.
To say something nice about the media for a change, after that debate I saw Jon Snow helping his crew by carrying some of their very heavy equipment the considerable distance from the hall. Can’t imagine Gavin Esler, Laura Kuenssberg or any of the “stars” at the BBC doing that.
My next highlight was listening to Phillippa Whitford talking about the NHS. She radiates confidence and competence, and it is sadly unusual to hear a politician who really does know the subject on which they are talking.
I greatly enjoyed a chat over a Guinness with the new Ecuadorean Ambassador, Carlos Abad. We discussed the prospects for Scottish Independence and, both being diplomats by profession, agreed heartily with each other that the key to eventually achieving Independence is recognition by other states.
The SNP really could and should do more in promoting the cause to the wider international community. The group of broadly socialist countries of Latin America (Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua) is called ALBA, an acronym of the Spanish name of the group. We should definitely cooperate with ALBA!
Which brings me to the low points of the day. The Ambassador had never been to Scotland before, and he had come straight from Aberdeen airport to the conference centre. I was ashamed and desperate to convince him what a lovely country Scotland is. The AECC is the ugliest building in Scotland – genuinely world class in the ugly buildings league. It is even more horrible inside than out. Whoever designed a conference centre with no bar is exceeded in stupidity only by whoever decided to hold the SNP conference in a centre with no bar. There is a bar in the adjoining Holiday Inn, itself as drab and dispiriting as a cheaply built hotel can be, but the hotel bar is far too small to serve as a social hub for the conference. And as the conference centre is outside the city in the middle of nowhere, there are no nearby bars to pile into – the conference lacks any kind of social heart.
Equally annoying, the rooms available for fringe meetings are too small. I tried to attend fringe meetings on TTIP and on excessive executive pay, but simply could not get into either.
The fringe meeting on the timing of a second referendum was cancelled, without explanation. There can be no doubt whatsoever that Nicola Sturgeon has moved decisively in the last 48 hours to kick the next referendum further into the long grass. She was ten minutes ago on BBC Breakfast doing precisely that and positioning the SNP as a party of governance within the Union. Delegates here including me, have no opportunity at all to express our opinions on this. That is not a good feeling, and I suspect in the long term not good party management, however smart it may feel to the leadership at the moment.
You are certainly showing your Scottish blood line Craig. The art of politics is the ability to communicate and there is no better way than a converation over a pint of beer.
There is nothing more essential to solving the problems of the world and making political connections,solutions to complex problems than access to the lubricant of social exchange by means of a good bar.I believe that Samuel Johnson or his biographer had words to that effect in regards to the British Inn.
“My next highlight Phillippa Whitford (breast cancer surgeon I think). Sadly unusual for a politician who really knows the subject on which they are talking”.(NHS).
We should do well with wee Johnny the “barber” and the “Occupational Therapist”.
The value of international recognition in asserting Independence is obviously recognises by the Unionist establishment, they constantly try to block, for example, the real expert of Scottish fisheries from speaking at the EU meetings, instead using no nothing Tory Lords.
The SG International ambassador cause apoplexy among unionist commentators, frothing about why was the SG wasting money sending someone to speak and observe for Scotland, only the UK Gov had that right!
Brian Powell
“..the Unionist establishment, they constantly try to block, for example, the real expert of Scottish fisheries from speaking at the EU meetings, instead using no nothing Tory Lords”
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Excuse me for asking, but who is the “real expert” you mention?
On the question of “EU meetings”: representatives of fishermen’s organisations are on hand at EU fisheries meetings for the purposes of consultation by the national civil servants (or Ministers) who are actually doing the negotiations. It is true that they are not in the negotiating room itself but that is because only accredited national civil servants can be there. This applies both to meetings held in Brussels and abroad (eg at meetings with the Norwegians in Norway when the TACs for the so-called North Sea joint stocks are being negotiated. Finally, Scottish civil servants dealing with fisheries usually attend EU meetings when fish stocks of interest to Scottish fishermen are being discussed/negotiated.
Hope that helps.
happy birthday Craig, have another English wiski on me…..
Thanks, it’s tomorrow!
Oops sorry, well, you can always have a good run up in preparation for tomorrow…
Your walk in the woods with Carlos sounds like good future prep work.
I hope the Canaries will present you with a big fat present against Newcastle tomorrow…. my guess Norw.3 Newc.1
The key to unlock independence for Scotland lies in removing the grip Edinburgh Unionists have over the land, as a result of guaranteed for life jobs in the financial services,UK government jobs based there, and Hollyrood. Scotland will not be free unless Edinburgh is nuked or removed from the equation (by various strategies), its as simple as that.
I remember clearly that Ms Sturgeon was adamant enough to say ‘that an English Brexit could trigger/lead to another Independence vote’
Now her position, as described above seems to be clearly in favour of power at Westminster’s lobby trough, first and foremost. So if Britain votes to leave, disenfranchising all EU residents in their old fashioned electoral ways, she would not want this to be the cause to a second Indy vote anymore?
Will a Brexit still trigger an Indy vote? By her words she seems to sow doubt, it means that if Scotland’s vote in a referendum comes out for staying in the EU and England’s voters want to leave, that this will not be a reason for and Indy2 vote anymore.
Since the sweet elections have caramelised her views somewhat, sweetened her resolve with something or other. How come, is this a u-turn?
Bootleneck, the few bits of attention she gave to the issue of land reform yesterday, was a mere twitch of an eyebrow, not very much at all.
If land reform is also a dead end, what is the SNP there for? where are the radical ideas? and who is brave enough to force land reform through the institutions?
Craig.
While you are there you might ask when Fracking is going to go ahead as it surely will.
Scotland will not be free unless Edinburgh is nuked or removed from the equation (by various strategies), its as simple as that.
You’re from Glasgow, aren’t you?
Glasgow and Glaswegians are the greatest.
Glasgow and Glaswegians are the greatest.
That’s the Buckie talking.
Cheeky b.
” I saw Jon Snow helping his crew by carrying some of their very heavy equipment the considerable distance from the hall. Can’t imagine Gavin Esler, Laura Kuenssberg or any of the “stars” at the BBC doing that. ”
No because the union that represents those who are employed to move heavy equipment for the BBC would have them all out on strike in an instant. I’ve seen this happen.
I hope the ambassador from Ecuador had optimistic things to say about Assange.
“I greatly enjoyed a chat over a Guinness with the new Ecuadorean Ambassador, Carlos Abad. We discussed the prospects for Scottish Independence and, both being diplomats by profession, agreed heartily with each other that the key to eventually achieving Independence is recognition by other states.
“The SNP really could and should do more in promoting the cause to the wider international community. The group of broadly socialist countries of Latin America (Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua) is called ALBA, an acronym of the Spanish name of the group. We should definitely cooperate with ALBA!”
Mr Murray, I am sure you noticed that the YES movement is largely a do-it-yourself grass-roots movement. Why don’t you proceed with this idea of collaborating with ALBA? Some might say: on whose behalf are you speaking? You were never elected or chosen?
But this can be said about anyone in Scotland, even the SNP, which has no power on a national level and certainly no legal remit beyond a certain point to organise much with other countries.
So why not just do it yourself? Use your contacts to reach out to the likes of the ambassador of Ecuador and slowly start doing things from the bottom up. Such contacts will be useful in the long-run anyway.
Ba’al Zevul
There’s more buckie drunk in Edinburgh than Glasgow.
To those complaining of N Sturgeon’s conference management, please remember that in 7 months she will be trying to win another 5 years at Holyrood with an SNP overall majority. Without THAT little on the Indy front can be achieved. If the SNP does gain an overall majority then there are 5 years to change direction.
Aberdeen the Oil capital of Europe. The only City in Erod without a by pass road or a predestrianse city centre. The Labour/Unionists/Green refused a gift of £80Million to pedestrianise the City centre UTG Project. They are spending £33Million renovating an Art Gallery. Building a carbuncle in the City centre which will cost £Millions being leased back for 30 years. Against the majority interest and the public interest.
The SNP Gov are finally building the AWPR after 30 years. No wonder people in the NE vote SNP.
All the Oil revenues illegally and secretly went south to build Canary Wharf and Tilbury docks etc. Thatcher cancelled a pipeline wasting the equivalent of £Billions of Gas. The Gas was burnt off. Thatcher wasted the Oil revenues paying for over 3Million unemployed and interest rates were at 15%. Labour kept the McCrone Report secret for thirty years. Labour’s Illegal wars, tax evasion and banking fraud.
If the truth had been known Scotland would have been Independent years ago, with a £220Billion Oil Fund.
# Aberdeen, the only City in Europe without a by pass road and a pedestrianised city centre.
Damn predict text
Pedestrianisation isn’t everything, or even anything it’s cracked up to be, look at what happened to Paisley, now a ghost town of boarded up shops.
Buckie comes from Somerset
Paisley could do with more jobs
Property ownership is enshrined in the Human rights Act which underpins Scottish Devolution. Landowners have to be compensated. It could cost £Billions which the Scottish Gov has to spend elsewhere.
Scotland was depopulated by Westminster centralist economicies. Unemployment in the North was a price worth paying for jobs and prosperity in the South. Scotland is half empty. More land would have come into public/private ownership if there were more people.
A new centre is being built at a cost of £185m.
AECC to be moved to a new site as part of redevelopment of venue
http://news.stv.tv/north/246495-aecc-to-be-moved-to-a-new-site-near-dyce-in-redevelopment-plan/
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Replacement Centre[edit]
In September 2012, talks got underway to replace the 27-year-old arena with a new £20 million facility on the same site amid claims that the arena was missing out on big acts due its comparatively small 8,000-seat capacity.[10]
On October 18, 2013, the city council announced plans to spend £200 million on a rebuild of the AECC, but also raised the possibility of relocating the venue to a new site.[11] Then on October 31, it was announced that the go ahead had been given to the relocation, with Henry Boot as the preferred development partner. Artists impressions were released for a new centre and arena to be built at the Rowett Institute currently owned by the University of Aberdeen in the city’s Bucksburn area near Aberdeen Airport and close to the Aberdeen International Business Park.
The council says the project will completed by 2017, accommodating 10,000 people seated and 15,000 standing. Other facilities include office and leisure space, plus an adjoining 4-star hotel with options for two more.[12][13] An artist’s impression the new AECC was released on November 1, 2013, together with an estimate of the final bill at around £185 million.[14]
In September 2014, public consultations took place[15] prior to the final planning application being submitted in May 2015 for the Bucksburn[16] site and redevelopment of the current AECC site at Bridge of Don.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_Exhibition_and_Conference_Centre
Ken2 sighs:
“Scotland is half empty.”
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That’s perhqps because well over half of it is uninhabitable (at least economically uninhabitable).
Siberia is 99% uninhabitable, as is the Sahara – just as examples 🙂
Ken2 Buckie comes from Buckfast Abbey which is in Buckfastleigh, Devon.
“arch Blairite Andrew Rawnsley of the Observer”
You clearly never read his book on the Blair premiership.