New Parliament in May

[Pat 0]

Campaigns by the political parties will be hotting up in the run up to the elections in May.

At the moment the polls seem to indicate that nobody has a clue what will happen?

Will there be a Labour Coalition with the Greens - will SNP regain their footing after slipping back?

"A fortnight ago an Ipsos-Mori poll showed a dramatic recovery by the SNP to pull ahead of Labour after a long period trailing. Since then a YouGov poll commissioned by the Greens put Labour back ahead and on course for 59 seats, which, with the Greens on track for six, would reach 65, therefor[e] creating a coalition."

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/green-coalition-could-hand-power-to-labour-1.1088884

[harper 0]

Sheesh, Coalition Governments everywhere.

A Green/Labour Coalition could be very interesting indeed but personally, I'm hoping the SNP hold ground. I think Alex Salmond is a remarkable politician ... but he should have held that referendum.

[Pat 0]

I think Salmond might have been in a more secure position if he had called a referendum. He has promised a lot that has not been delivered. Free education is laudable but they did promise to wipe out student debt. That's not happened. I think more votes would also be a surety if there had been some help for first time buyers.

However, pensioners have still got their bus passes and now we've got the free prescriptions. There appears to be a perception that given the economic difficulties over the past few years that Scotland, in relation to the rest of the UK, is doing not too badly. I'm not sure entirely that is the case.

I also heard a view expressed on the television that Alex has the personality and Iain Gray hasn't. It could come down to that.

[rory 0]

It should be an interesting election. Regarding coalitions Alex Salmond has made it clear that there is no way SNP will be no joining up with the Tory Party.

[harper 0]

I wonder why the SNP accept memebrship and donations from outside Scotland but don't let members vote?

[G12bloke 0]

Maybe so they can have Connery's money but with his 'eccentric' views on domestic violence.

[harper 0]

Ouch! ... but you're not wrong there.

[samscafeamericain 0]

Outstanding speech from salmond today at the SNP conference

[harper 0]

Indeed, Sam..... apart from the sentimental twaddle about rocks and the sun. What the hells wrang wae moons in the midden?

I am sure he will run a great Campaign but will it be good enough. Indulge us far flung folk. What are Labour saying about tuition fees and jobs?

[samscafeamericain 0]

Labour have run a very poor campaign and appear to be relying on the anti-tory vote.

Salmond's point about was not sentimental twaddle, it was an assurance that he would ensure under his tenure that education would remain feasible for children from less well off backgrounds..............a stark contrast to the current mob in coalition, whose promises proved to be completely worthless

[Pat 0]

He is looking good compared to Cameron and Co, samsc, but that's not who he is running against.

[harper 0]

Labour have run a very poor campaign and appear to be relying on the anti-tory vote.

Salmond's point about was not sentimental twaddle, it was an assurance that he would ensure under his tenure that education would remain feasible for children from less well off backgrounds..............a stark contrast to the current mob in coalition, whose promises proved to be completely worthless

I didn't say his point was sentimental twaddle, Sam, as you jolly well know. I was referring his analogy.

[Dexter St. Clair 0]

The SNP Government is to back a project to upgrade Glasgow's famous clockwork orange subway system.

Transport Minister Keith Brown confirmed to Glasgow SNP MSP Bob Doris that an SNP Government would make a substantial financial contribution to the upgrading of the subway system to encourage more people to use it and to ensure more services are on offer.

We'll ignore the out of towners' use of CO to describe what Glaswegians call The Subway or the underground but I do believe there will be a rail link from Glasgow Central to Glasgow Airport before the Nats deliver on this "promise"

[harper 0]

Where did that come from? lol

[HollowHorn 0]

He's right though, they even called it the CO on 'Reporting Scotland'

[harper 0]

So, where did the phrase originate from? Not the people of Glasgow?

[Pat 0]

So, where did the phrase originate from? Not the people of Glasgow?

Great that the money is being committed to keep the Subway, the third oldest 'metro' in the world. Heaven knows where the Clockwork Orange name came from, harper, but I've never heard anyone in Glasgow calling it that.

[harper 0]

I thought the name was quite common. I have definately seen it in tourist blurb. Here's the Wiki info...

Nicknames

The origin of the Subway's supposed nickname, "The Clockwork Orange" (coined from the title of the book and film A Clockwork Orange) is subject to dispute. Some believe that it was originally coined by the media of the period, whilst others credit it to the then chairman of British Rail, Sir Peter Parker, who was quoted in a late 1970s publicity video of the new trains as saying "so these are the original Clockwork Orange".^[21] Most of its carriages were painted orange (although called "Strathclyde PTE red" because "Orange" has sectarian connotations in Glasgow), the corporate colour of Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive at the time. Most of the units have since been replaced with a new colour scheme of carmine and cream with a thin orange band, which will be implemented progressively throughout the fleet as cars are refurbished.

In Aileen Paterson's 1984 children's story "Maisie Goes To Glasgow", the Subway is referred to as 'The Clockwork Orange', and includes an illustration of a train.

South London Indie band Carter USM used the title "2007 A Clockwork Orange" with a picture of the Glasgow underground train for their Glasgow farewell gig at Barrowlands on 20 October 2007.

While the "Clockwork Orange" nickname is often used in tourist guidebooks and local literature, it is virtually unused by locals themselves,^[22][23][24] who will refer to the system simply as "the Subway" or, less commonly, "the Underground", and less commonly still — although becoming increasingly common because of influence from London — "The Tube".

http://en.wikipedia..../Glasgow_Subway

[Dexter St. Clair 0]

Great that the money is being committed to keep the Subway, the third oldest 'metro' in the world. Heaven knows where the Clockwork Orange name came from, harper, but I've never heard anyone in Glasgow calling it that.

The nats have a different interpretation of commitment as in their promise to cut class sizes.

[samscafeamericain 0]

The nats have a different interpretation of commitment as in their promise to cut class sizes.

That noise ladies and gentlemen is the bottom of the barrel being scraped

[harper 0]

Tuit tut Sam, hardly a defence of party policy.

[Pat 0]

Tuit tut Sam, hardly a defence of party policy.

I don't think that there is any party that has at any time kept all of their manifesto promises. Indeed Scotland doesn't have sufficient fiscal powers to enable full decision making freedom.

The best we can hope for is clarity about where commitment lies - by all parties.

You do get fed up with the approach whereby the fight for votes consists primarily of attacks on other parties. Much better to say 'this is exactly what we stand for' and spell it out.

Perhaps those of you who are totally clear on where their vote will be cast will tell us, not what the problems are with other parties, but why they will be voting SNP, Labout, Tory or whatever?

[harper 0]

I have to say I get confused by parties who promise things and then complain that they don't have enough powers to deliver it. Where is the sense in that?

THe SNP should stand by the good socialist policies they can and have the power to deliver. The rest just sounds that political faffin' about, IMV.

This would get my vote.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/mar/13/snp-promises-protect-public-sector

[Pat 0]

More promises rolling in as Labour leader Iain Gray pledges help for first time buyers should he be the next First Minister.

http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=et&id=N0063391300373698957A

[rory 0]

The Scottish Labour Party are making a lot of promises including apprenticeships for young people, improved elderly care and health care, putting literacy teachers in classrooms, jail for knife carriers, freeze on council tax and “no price tag” on university education.

I don't know how they will achieve all these promises unless more money is found.