Conservative candidate Ivor Tiefenbrun describes Scots as "so thick"

I must admit when I read the headline in yesterday's Scotsman, I did  a double take and thought “Really?”  Would anyone be so stupid as to say that?  Has The Scotsman got this out of context?
 

Apparently not.  The Conservative candidate Ivor Tiefenbrun has defended Margaret Thatcher's policies and in doing so said "It's only because Scots are so thick that this was swallowed."

Now,  I have to be honest, Ivor isn't the only man to defend Margaret Thatcher's policies. A fairly well known Scot within the world of politics has also done this, not yesterday but during the Glenrothes by-election in 2008. This person said that the Scots didn't mind Thatcher's policies.

Have you guessed who it is yet?

Well it was in fact Wee Eck himself, our very own First Minister and leader of the single issue party itself, the SNP's Alex Salmond.

Who would have thought that he would support the devastation that Thatcher brought to Scotland?

Anyway, I digress. Back to Ivor who has in fact been selected as the Tory candidate for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn.

He claimed Baroness Thatcher had;

"saved our cities" in Scotland and had broken the "corrupt power" of the trade unions as well as "enabling people to buy their own homes" during her 11 years in power.

No-one will argue that allowing people to buy their homes was entirely a bad thing, although we should remember that most councils were then prevented using the money raised from the sale of these homes to build  any more by Thatcher. That’s why we have such an affordable housing crisis today. Ivor Tiefenbrun played a leading role in the anti-devolution Think Twice campaign so isn't always on message with Scots anyway.

Mr Tiefenbrun defended the 1980s governments of Lady Thatcher, whose controversial policies included the unpopular poll tax and wide scale closure of Scottish coal mines.

He said:

"The way Labour work is that they have demonised Thatcher as if she was an evil force.

"It's only because Scots are so thick that this was swallowed."

When asked to explain his comments by The Scotsman, Mr Tiefenbrun said;

"You would have to be thick to accept that" Lady Thatcher had been bad for Scotland.

I am neither a Scot, although I now live here and call this home,  nor am I thick and I can see the damage that Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives did across Scotland in the 1980s. What I can also see is that Labour didn't mend some of the damage either.

During the Glasgow East and Glasgow North East by-elections in the last two years I saw that there are still areas of deprivation which should not exist in this day and age and it is only down to the communities living there that they don't let it beat them.  Yes the Conservatives did damage this country and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Ivor Tiefenbrun continued;

"We have to look at the education system and ask if we have got too many teachers."

Too many teachers?  When did Mr Tiefenbrun last visit a school?

The Tory businessman was last night heavily criticised for his remarks, which included a claim that patients could;

"walk into hospitals and be dead in 48 hours from an infection."

Annabel Goldie has a lot to deal with being the leader of the 4th party in Scotland with just one MP in Westminster and candidates such as Gill Dykes claiming to be an MSP when she isn't, John Lamont who is bored of Holyrood and now Ivor Tiefenbrun who is insulting Scots by calling them "so thick".

I hope Annabel does the decent thing and at the very least insists Mr Tiefenbrun issues an apology, very quickly, or he may just face calls for his resignation from the good folk of Glasgow.

Conservative MSP Ted Brocklebank to stand down

Conservative MSP Ted Brocklebank has announced he will be standing down at the 2011 Holyrood elections.
The 67-year-old former journalist was elected as a member for Mid-Scotland and Fife in May 2003.

He said it had been an "immense privilege" to serve his constituents but said he was hoping to return to his former career in broadcasting.

Mr Brocklebank was the Scottish Conservatives former rural development and fisheries spokesman but resigned in February 2007 in protest over a policy U-turn.

He was angry that David Cameron stepped back from a threat to withdraw the UK from the EU common fisheries policy.
The Conservative MSP is currently the spokesman for Europe, external affairs and culture.

"It has been an immense privilege to serve the people of Mid-Scotland and Fife and I have greatly enjoyed my time in the Scottish Parliament," he said.

"I don't see myself putting my feet up and playing with the grandchildren. I feel very active.

"I've enjoyed my eight years but I'm equally looking forward to getting back to my old trade."

He added: "It will be good to re-discover my non-partisan voice again, especially on fisheries and media matters."

Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said the MSP had made "an important contribution" to the Conservative MSP group and to the parliament.
"His career experience before entering politics has enabled him to be an authoritative commentator on a range of issues but particularly those related to media and culture, " she said.

Scottish Conservative reshuffle - hold onto the deck chairs

So, following the Scottish Conservatives returning just one MP at the general election and Bill Aitken announcing his resignation (for next year) Annabel Goldie rushes out to rearrange the deck chairs.

The Scottish Conservatives leader, Annabel Goldie has rushed to rearrange what deckchairs she has left.

The BBC reports;

John Lamont, who failed to win one of the Tories' UK election target seats, is handling justice issues.

Now John Lamont was one of 5 MSPs who chose to ignore the dual mandate issue and their parties and stand as a candidate for Westminster while already being an elected parliamentarian - I personally think this is wrong given the parties all signed up to cleaning up politics.

You can read about the cleaning up of politics including the actual clause (see this post).

The surprise of the reshuffle is the appointment of Gavin Brown MSP as political advisor to Annabel Goldie, now I have never met Gavin so went to his website to read a little about him.

His website is three years and 140 days out of date - it has not been updated since New Years day in 2007.

He claims he is standing for Edinburgh South - which is false, he also claims that the Conservatives are the main challengers in Edinburgh South, also false (it is in fact the Liberal Democrats who hold the Edinburgh South seat) and it was Fred Mackintosh and the Liberal Democrats who started second at the General Election and finished second with the Tories falling even further behind in a very distant third place.

It is hardly reassuring if he is now the political advisor to the leader, poor Annabel Goldie.

Anyway, here is the full Scottish Conservative line-up:

• Leader: Annabel Goldie
• Deputy leader and health: Murdo Fraser
• Justice: John Lamont
• Finance: Derek Brownlee
• Education: Liz Smith
• Rural affairs: John Scott
• Chief whip and campaign manager: David McLetchie
• Political adviser to the leader: Gavin Brown

Annabel Goldie in wee Borders rant (getting it all wrong)

So, despite knowing that there were no flights David Cameron missed the Scottish Conservative manifesto launch (I say Conservative as there is only one Westminster seat they hold up here in Scotland) in Melrose, a beatiful town in the Liberal Democrat constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

There are trains "Dave".  But "Dave" was in fact still in London.

Anyway, Annabel fell into a trap yesterday, and spent around five minutes of her speech ranting and attacking the Liberal Democrats (you know you have them rattled once they start attacking you) with a mild dose of hypocrisy and nonsense.

Perhaps a change by the Conservatives following Nick Cleggs performance on the Leaders debate and recent polling.

"If you vote Liberal Democrat, then you will get Labour." said Annabel.

Nonsense.

If on May 6th you vote Liberal Democrat Annabel, then Michael Moore will be re-elected as the hard working MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk.

Annabel and call me "Dave" Cameron insult the voters intelligence when they peddle this stupid line.

She then said to John Lamont MSP - "John, you have won this seat once now go and win it again."

Nonsense.

John Lamont MSP won the seat of Roxburgh & Berwickshire - which as any person in the Scottish Borders will tell you, is entirely different to Michael Moore's seat.

Ironically, Annabel then went on to talk about the thousands of people who have lost their jobs in the recession, BUT failed to justify why John Lamont MSP is then seeking a second job and will NOT stand down for twelve monthsafterwards as the MSP.

Two jobs John and Annabel?

When thousands of people have lost their only job? 

Hypocrites.

David Cameron claims he wants to clean up politics and yet two of his MSPs (obviously already bored of their jobsas MSPs) are seeking a second job and have no intention to stand down immediately but will try and do the two jobs part-time for at least one year.

John Lamont is clearly an embarrassment to both of his leaders, Annabel Goldie and David Cameron as they are both on the record now accepting the Kelly report in full - will either of them be telling John Lamont to drop one or other, or have they changed their minds?

In fact the Kelly report states that this practice of sitting in two legislatures should end before the 2011 elections so in fact John Lamont should decide to either (a) quit as an MSP now and fight the general election or (b) quit as a candidate now and focus on what he was elected to do which was a be a full time MSP.

Annabel Goldie has constantly hassled Alex Salmond about this dual mandate issue for a while but is now on the back foot and looking rather stupid because of both John Lamont and Alex Johnstone (another Tory MSP who wants two jobs).

The only people that lose out with these "Tory two job types" are the voters who deserve a full time MP and a full time MSP - not a part time one trying to do both jobs.
 
Annabel Goldie also defended rates relief for businesses yesterday, great I hear you all cry, then why did John Lamont, Annabel Goldie and the other Conservatives in Holyrood vote against the rates relief package just last week that would have save hundreds of businesses in the Scottish Borders thousands of pounds?
 
Yet another case of don't do what I do, just do what I say from Annabel Goldie and the Scottish Conservatives.
 
Annabel went into rant and attack mode against the Liberal Democrats yesterday saying we cosy up to Labour.
 
So, Annabel Goldie I ask you this why, have you spent the last three years as Alex Salmond's Holyrood bedfellows?  You support them in so many votes instead of standing up for the Scottish people it is nothing more than shameful.
 
The Scottish Conservatives are just propping up the SNP minority Government in Holyrood, nothing more and nothing less.
 
If people want change then it is time for Nick Clegg and the Scottish Liberal Democrats - already the second party in Scotland in votes and MPs (more MPs than the SNP and Conservatives combined).
 
It is the Liberal Democrats that challenged the Labour Government and Conservatives over the Iraq war.
 
It is Nick Clegg who led the campaign to clean up politics and put forward proposals to Parliament - voted down by Labour and the Conservatives.
 
It is Nick Clegg who first demanded the right to sack your MP for the voters - voted down by Labour and Conservatives.
 
Whose Party are the hypocrites Annabel?

Tories two hour turn around saves Sturgeon's bacon

In Holyrood today the Scottish Conservatives have performed a spectacular two hour turn around to save their regular bedfellows, the SNP.

During First Minister's Questions, Annabel Goldie called for a statement from Nicola Sturgeon because of Nicola Sturgeon's letter of support for a convicted fraudster.

Two hours later there was then an emergency meeting of the Bureau to discuss the possibility of an emergency statement, however the SNP refused to give a statement today and it was then pushed to a vote.


The Liberal Democrats and Labour voted for the statement, but Annabel Goldie's Tories bizarrely supported the SNP therefore giving them a majority and saving Nicola Sturgeon's bacon.


It is unbelievable that in the space of two hours the Conservatives have gone from demanding a parliamentary statement, to backing down and voting with the SNP to delay it until a week on Wednesday.

It is outrageous that our MSPs have been denied the opportunity to question the Deputy First Minister on this serious matter, but it appears that eventually she will be called to account on the 24^th February.

It should therefore be remembered that it was the Liberal Democrats that forced a vote on this matter and it was the Conservatives’ behaviour that prevented the statement and saved Nicola Sturgeon's bacon.

Lies, damn lies and Cameron's Conservatives crime statistics

So, Chris Grayling MP who has been publicly humiliated this week, now today receives another slap, not from other politicians or political parties but from Sir Michael Scholar, the chairman of the UK Statistics Authority.

Sir Michael Scholar has warned Chris Grayling MP that the way he used the figures for violent crime were "likely to mislead the public".

This does beg the question, how can we trust the Conservatives?  This is the party who are arrogantly assuming they are going to form the next government, however given these revelations, how are we supposed to trust anything they say or promise?

They are starting to say anything to get elected, just like their bed fellows in Scotland, the SNP, who is 2007 promised alsorts to get elected only now starting to drop election pledge after election pledge.

Only last month David Cameron admitted he had "messed up" on the rewarding marriage through the tax system.

Annabel Goldie, the Conservatives Scottish Leader has announced that the Conservatives want to freeze the salary of all public sector workers who earn £18,000+ - nurses, policemen and women, council workers, firemen and women and as Liberal Democrats Scottish Leader, Tavish Scott said "A Lance Corporal returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan will find that the Conservatives have cut his pay in real terms while he has been away."

The Independent have done a little file on Chris Graylings gaffes;

Last August, Chris Grayling made a headline-grabbing speech in which he likened life in Britain’s inner cities to that in Baltimore,Maryland, as portrayed in the acclaimed television series The Wire. “When The Wire comes to Britain’s streets, it is the poor who suffer most. It is the poor who are the ones who have borne the brunt of the surge in violence under this Government,” he said.

This drew angry rebukes from city leaders, including London’s Conservative Mayor, Boris Johnson, who described it as “absolute nonsense”, because crime levels are actually much lower in British inner cities than in Baltimore.

Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, remarked: “The connection between The Wire and Chris Grayling’s grasp on the problems of modern Britain is that they are both fictional.”

Mr Grayling also almost ruined a political coup that David Cameron pulled off during last autumn’s Conservative Party conference, when the Tory leader announced he had taken on Sir Richard Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff, as a political adviser.

Asked for his reaction, in front of a television camera, Mr Grayling thought that Sir Richard had agreed to be Gordon Brown’s adviser, and rubbished the appointment as a “political gimmick”. He spent the rest of the day eating his words.

Conservatives to freeze pay of public sector staff on £18,000+

There are times in politics when a political party scores an own goal, and then there are days like yesterday when not just an own goal, but a spectacular own goal is scored.

This time it is the turn of Annabel Goldie, George Osborne, David Cameron and the Conservatives.

Every soldier, nurse, police man and woman, fireman and women, teacher and office staff who earn just £18,000 a year (or more if they are lucky) is to get a pay freeze under the Conservatives and what's more, if you are a millionaire then the Conservatives will give you tax cuts.

That's right, hit the workers hardest and help the fat cat rich folk get even richer - same old Conservatives.

They are out of touch with the needs of ordinary people like you and me, not just here in Scotland but across the UK.

It’s obvious that life would get worse, not better, for most people under a Conservative Government.

Whereas the Scottish Liberal Democrats have shown that 3,031 out of half a million public sector workers who earn over £100,000, are costing us £413 million a year.

People just cannot understand it when they learn that highest earners in the NHS are also able to nominate themselves for bonuses worth up to £75,000 a year on top of their salaries.

Some even get paid more than Alex Salmond’s three salaries as MP, MSP and First Minister added together.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have asked the Scottish government to freeze the pay of these high earners.

We want these high earners to shoulder the burden of cutting the public sector pay bill, not those who earn a fraction of this and who would be hit by these new Conservative plans.

The Conservatives would exempt the troops who are serving in Afghanistan, great, but what about the troops everywhere else? They still get their pay frozen!

It's about time people realised that Dave's Conservatives are still the same old Tories with new soundbites, they have not changed, they are still the party of the rich and this unfair tax policy just proves it.

It's time for fairer taxes, and the Liberal Democrats are giving you that choice.

Tories split in Scotland as they admit "The Cameron effect has not reached Scotland"

Following on from last months meeting between David Cameron and Scottish Conservative donors where they said David Mundell was not up to the job of Scottish Secretary should the Conservatives win the general election (arrogant assumption by them they will), now Cameron is being urged to allow the Scottish champagne supping Conservatives to form a breakaway party.

Apparently Tim Montgomerie editor of the ConservativeHome.com website and fairly senior Tory has urged Cameron to take this radical move of allowing the Scottish Conservatives to form a breakaway party, because the Cameron effect stops at the border.

That has nothing to do with the effectiveness of either Mundell or Goldie really Tim (not entirely anyway), it is mainly because the Conservatives are irrelevant in Westminster politics here in Scotland with just one MP (compared to twelve Lib Dems).

The Conservatives are more irrelevant in Westminster politics in Scotland than the SNP, the Westminster general election in Scotland is between the two parties with the highest number of MPs, that is Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Even the Tories admit their progress will be limited in this forthcoming general election and that Thatcher damaged Scotland.

Tim Montgomerie tells The Herald; "The Cameron effect has not reached Scotland like it has in Wales or the north of England. If the progress in Scotland is as limited as it looks like it might be, we should revisit the idea of creating a Scottish party with its own identity. It would help them break free from the Thatcher years."

So, as David Cameron's Conservatives are being urged to split from the ineffective Scottish Conservatives perhaps it is time for the Liberal Democrats to step up and claim the position of the Official Opposition in Scotland and given we have more MPs than the Conservatives and the SNP combined, it is true and with Alistair Carmichael MP as our Shadow Scottish Secretary, we can hold our own in a debate, unlike Mr Mundell.

John Lamont is the most expensive MSP and the Conservatives stick their fingers up to Kelly Report

The latest batch of MSP expenses are out and there are two names that stand out John Lamont MSP and Jim Hume MSP, both of which have spent in excess of £20,000 in the last twelve months on postage and office costs.

Firstly, let us tackle the issue of dual mandate, something the Conservative leader in Scotland has long banged her drum about, however it appears that her MSPs aren't following the spirit of her campaign.

John Lamont MSP and Alex Johnstone MSP, both Conservatives, are sticking two fingers up at Annabel Goldie and David Cameron. In fact David Cameron only this morning said all parties must embrace the Kelly report, obviously he means everyone apart from John Lamont and Alex Johnstone - whats that "Dave"? Don't do as I do, do as I say. Caron talks about the Conservative Leader's words not matching Scottish Conservative actions.

And it isn't the first time that John "Bubbles" Lamonts has ignored David Cameron, read it here.

Who said the Conservatives have changed?

Anyway back to the most expensive MSP, John Lamont, who last year spent £26,952 on postage and office supplies.

The Conservatives had an answer for all of this public money being spent, obviously, saying that it was a large rural constituency which required "a lot of work" but then pointed at Liberal Democrats Jim Hume MSP, who claimed £20,234.22 and the Conservatives said Jim had a similar constituency!

Erm, what crap the Scottish Conservatives talk.

John Lamont represents Roxburgh & Berwickshire's 47,862 constituents in Holyrood.

Jim Hume represents (wait for it, you may want to get a drink) Ayr, Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley, Clydesdale, Cunninghame South, Dumfries, East Lothian, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale, Roxburgh & Berwickshire and Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale and their 514,105 constituents in Holyrood.

You see Jim Hume is the Regional MSP for the whole of the South of Scotland and the half a million constituents spread over nine constituencies whereas John Lamont has one constituency but is clearly not happy with being in Holyrood as he also now throwing his hat in the ring to stand for Westminster.

John Lamont MSP is clearly ignoring the Kelly Report and it's recommendations to clean up politics despite it receiving support from both David Cameron and Annabel Goldie.

Here is what one of John Lamont's constituents said on one of my earlier blog postings.

"I agree - what does he want London and Westminster or Edinburgh and Holyrood - he can't have his cake and eat it and as I voted for him as our MSP I would really like him to honour that commitment. This is just where Politicians fall down every time - they want the power and there is no greater political "bells on" than Westminster. The problem come the next election is that Scotland doesn't think the same way and John Lamont should remember that if successful in his Westminster bid he will have far less influence in Scotland as there may only be two or three Conservative MPS. Hardly a mandate for Cameron. He should stick to Holyrood and stand down as the Westminster candidate before he too is pushed."

One of the things Liberal Democrats Jim Hume MSP did was to write to many of his constituents across the whole Region and ask their opinions about the SNPs plans to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests to private developers. Jim Hume then released these findings and told his constituents the results.

Whereas John Lamont MSP surveyed, wrote, wrote again and did yet more surveys about the Borders railway - but - where are the results Mr Lamont? Are the surveys just chucked in a box in your office because you didn't get the answer you thought you were going to get?

It is time to clean up politics in the UK, and the Kelly Report goes down the right road and starts that process - it is a great pity that the Scottish Conservative MSP John Lamont is just sticking two fingers up to the whole process and obviously doesn't want to clean up politics!

Shame on them.

John Lamont MSP - should he quit now?

We should really ask the same question of Alex Johnstone MSP and Margaret Curran MSP as well as John Lamont.

All three of these MSPs now aspire to the House of Commons, one of them has a better chance than the other two and it would be great to see Margaret Curran beat the SNPs John Mason.

The question I suspect you are asking yourself is why should John Lamont quit as an MSP, my answer is he shouldn't. However he should quit if he is still aspiring to be an MP because as the Kelly report clearly states you shouldn't sit in to legislatures as he is trying to do.

In fact the Kelly report is saying that this practice of sitting in two legislatures should end before the 2011 elections so in fact John Lamont should decide to either (a) quit as an MSP now and fight the general election or (b) quit as a candidate now and focus on what he was elected to do which was a be a full time MSP.

John Lamont is clearly an embarrassment to both of his leaders, Annabel Goldie and David Cameron as they are both on the record now accepting the Kelly report in full - will either of them be telling John Lamont to drop one or other, or have they changed their minds?

Annabel Goldie has constantly hassled Alex Salmond about this dual mandate issue for a while but is now on the back foot and looking rather stupid because of both Alex Johnstone and John Lamont. However, now she will have to seriously think about what they are to do in light of the Kelly report.

The only people that lose out with these "Tory two job types" are the voters who deserve a full time MP and a full time MSP - not one

John Lamont MSP ignores Cameron's orders

During the Conservative Party conference David Cameron and Eric Pickles banned the drinking of champagne as they didn't want to make out they were nothing more than rich toffs supping champers and nibbling smoked salmon darling.

Well, courtesy of the London Evening Standard, as you can see in this picture, (scroll down) it's the one under David Cameron and it appears that John Lamont MSP has chosen to ignore his leaders request, in fact all of those in the picture ignoring their boss, guzzling the champers are Scots - they are (from left to right) Andrea Stephenson, Operations Co-ordinator of the Scottish Conservative Party; Cllr Jason Rust, Conservative candidate for Edinburgh South West; John Lamont, Member of the Scottish Parliament; and Cllr Mark McInnes, Director of the Scottish Conservative Party.

John Lamont MSP seems to like winding his bosses up. Annabel Goldie has continually attacked Salmond for having a dual mandate, and now John Lamont MSP wants to follow in Alex Salmond's footsteps and try for two jobs.

Unfortunately for him, Michale Moore MP holds one of those jobs and he is very unlikely to want to give that up, as he is a great constituency MP and is always fighting for a better deal for the Borders unlike champers guzzling John Lamont.

Why people are losing jobs across Scotland as the picture shows the Conservatives are happy to guzzle champagne, I think the Scottish Conservatives slipped up on this one - bad timing.