Nigel Griffiths MP jumps ship too - (before the Lib Dems pushed him)

As reported on this blog late yesterday night, Nigel Griffiths MP is to step down as he now has a job at an "international educational institution" from June as reported in a letter to local party members.

Nigel Griffiths will be remembered for many things in Edinburgh South, the MP claiming £3,605 for a plasma tv during the MPs expenses scandal, engagining in sexual activity in his House of Commons office on Armistice Day and earlier in his Parliamentary career, he was criticised for failing to declare that he owned a property that acted as his constituency office in Edinburgh's Minto Street.

Fred Mackintosh the Liberal Democrats candidate for Edinburgh South is just 405 votes behind Nigel Griffiths and has been tipped to take the Parliamentary seat at the forthcoming general election by top Tory blogger Iain Dale and established polling organisation Politics Home.

Nigel Griffiths joins a growing list of Scottish MPs - John McFall MP, Des Browne MP, Adam Ingram MP, Rosemary McKenna MP, John Reid MP, Mohammad Sarwar MP, Gavin Strang MP who are part of a list of 84 Labour MPs across the UK who will not re-stand this time.
 
And then there is the Anne Moffatt MP saga still to be decided.
 
With Captain Gordon Brown at the helm, there appears to be no one on look out because to lose one or two overboard is careless, to lose 84, well, that's just outrageous.

Is Nigel Griffiths MP about to stand down?

The rumours are happening all over again, saying that Nigel Griffiths MP will shortly be announcing that he is to stand down from Parliament.  The word on the street is that the Edinburgh South Labour party are already looking for the replacement to Nigel.

I have seen it on Twitter, had 7 texts and 2 phone calls this evening.

To be honest it sort of doesn't matter in some respects as Fred Mackintosh is pushing him as the main challenger for this election anyway.  So, if he did jump before he was pushed stand down before the election many people would not be that surprised.

The Liberal Democrats are the direct challengers in Edinburgh South to Nigel Griffiths and the Labour Party, in fact even Politics Home is predicting a Liberal Democrat gain from Labour.

Just 405 votes separate Labour and the Liberal Democrats in Edinburgh South. Even sources in the local Labour party accept that the Lib Dems are now in 'pole position' in Edinburgh South.

The Conservative campaign in Edinburgh South was delivered a major blow after the top Tory blogger, Iain Dale, predicted that the Liberal Democrat Fred Mackintosh was on course to beat Labour here in Edinburgh South.

The influential Tory blogger and commentator - a former Conservative Parliamentary Candidate - has predicted that the Liberal Democrats were set to increase their numbers of MPs, both here in Scotland and across the UK as a whole.

So, Nigel if the rumours are true, let's hear it, and if not why not make the announcement and put the rumours finally to bed.

My review of 2009 - my top twelve blog posts

2009 for me personally has been a hard year, not just with elections and work but not selling our old flat in Dartford, my partner Roger not able to get a job for a year, finding out my Mum had pancreatic cancer, closely followed by her death only a matter of weeks later, finding out a close friend died in May, losing two good friends in December and then at 4.20am this morning on her birthday, Roger's Nan lost her fight with cancer - 2009 f**k off, you've been shit!

So, I sat here and wondered how to remember this year, I finally decided to do my review by favourite monthly blog post.

A mixture of political and personal, do enjoy.

January - Tavish TV - Save our Forests January saw the Scottish Liberal Democrats turn their campaigning might on the SNP who were planning to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests. The Liberal Democrats and many environmental charities united to fight the SNP - finally in March we won!

February - Lost - one marked register. One owner, no history. February saw the story of the Sheriff's Office who lost the marked register for the Glenrothes by-election.

March - Baby's details on National DNA database The fact that the DNA of a baby under one year old has been stored on the police national database, is utterly scandalous and Jacqui Smith MP should be ashamed of herself and the Police.

April - A message for Nigel Griffiths MP and the Labour Party The Edinburgh Labour MP (until the election) blamed Edinburgh City Council for the closure of the capital's Post Offices. Utter crap Mr Griffiths, look in the mirror and along your benches, the Labour Party has closed even more Post Offices than the Conservatives did in their last term in government!

May - Labour fall to third place for first time in 22 years Wow, no-one ever saw this coming really where the governing party, currently Labour fall to third place in the polls, with the Conservatives on 40%, Liberal Democrats on 25% and Labour on 22%.

Bonus month - The best advert, ever!

June - Queen's Birthday Honours list My sister's boyfriend John gets a Royal Victorian Medal in this years Birthday Honours List, after 16 years of continuous service working for the Royal Family.

July - Police Officer to face prosecution over deaths of police dogs I have blogged a few times about this awful case of animal cruelty, it all went very quiet after this part but satisfaction in his prosecution - utterly appalling that a serving police officer allowed this to happen.

August - I really couldn't pick just one, so I have gone for three this month Tories claim homophobia doesn't exist, Le Grand Bleu yacht leaves Leith Harbour and Megrahi and MacAskill.

September - 8inch penis is average, Glasgow men are above average It really does speak for itself, Glasgow boys are bigger.

October - Caroline Righton and the Tory smear campaign This was an appalling attempt by a Conservative candidate to smear a Liberal Democrat candidate - it failed and shows that not all of David Cameron's A listers should be candidates.

November - John Lamont MSP is the most expensive MSP and sticks two fingers up to Cameron and the Kelly Report. My review of the year couldn't ignore John bubbles Lamont.

December - Is taking a photo of a building a crime? Why the Police are taking this so serious, god only knows but it really is quite pathetic and they need to calm down and react appropriately.

Well, that is the summary of my year via my blog, onwards and upwards for 2010, it's going to be a very busy year.

A message for Nigel Griffiths MP and the Labour Party

Well, I am bemused by Nigel Griffiths MP. Not his extra marital business, I will leave that well alone - eugh.

I am talking about his latest leaflet where he blames Lib Dem led Edinburgh City Council for the closure of Post Offices - Nigel, what a load of crap. Your Labour Government has withdrawn business away from the Post Office so that things like DVLA and paying bills are a thing of the past. Your Government has taken bonds away from the Post Office as well.

That's nothing to do with the Council (this one or any other) so when you write these leaflets be honest, oh, of course you can't be on this can you becuse in your previous leaflet you claimed that YOU saved 11 of the Post Offices in Edinburgh South? - again, what a load of crap.

You had nothing to do with saving any Post Offices anywhere but you and your Labour Government have closed thousands across the UK, in fact your Labour Government have closed more Post Office branches in the UK since 1997 than the Tories did in 18 years - you and your party should be ashamed of themselves.

You claim the Labour Government created the Post Office Card Account to help Post Offices, you then forget to mention that it was your Party that was going to scrap it - but in the Glenrothes by-election you changed your minds..........

The leaflet that you and your Party have been delivering for months now is just negative acid rubbish. What you fail to mention is that the Lib Dem/SNP Council have had just 2 years to undo decades of damage done by your Labour Party here in Edinburgh - so shut up or at least put forward positive suggestions - oh, and get your own house in order first!