What a dreadful week it's been for Labour in Scotland. First they are exposed for organised hypocrisy for condemning Megrahi's release while London Labour were desperate for it. Then the vote against a budget that met all their own party demands, including 25,000 modern apprenticeships. They look irresponsible and opportunistic.
But it's worst that that. Iain Gray is not fit to be first minister - not after the debacle of Megrahi. He was effectively lying to The Scottish people. He continues to do so.
I'd like to reprint the comment left by Moujick on my last post that puts it very well.
"Gray has kept up the pretence that he wouldn't have released Megraghi - well maybe he should show us the evidence? Where are his e-mails to mssrs Brown, Straw, Murphy, Browne etc expressing his disagreement with their stated policy? Through which forums was he arguing against the release? Just about every single communication relating to this issues that can be released has been released. Grey should release his and if he doesn't it shows what liars he and Baker both are. I'm not holding my breath,"
I feel very downbeat at the moment. It would appear that the Labour goons are a shoe-in for Scottish election. This is despite the fact they offer no positive vision of the future. Their constant snipping and negative views are simply insulting.
On the other hand the SNP have done a decent job under difficult circumstances have been given little credit. In fact the bulk of the media has appeared to deliberately attack them.
The thought of Iain Grey as the FM is truly depressing. I really despair for Scotland. Why is it that so many seem to be happy to be coaxed back to a party whose primary interest is not Scotland but themselves and their role at the big table down south?
Is there any hope?
Posted by: Iain Ross | February 14, 2011 at 05:14 PM
They are a sinking ship with chief rat, Gray, clinging onto the top of the mast as they go down the tubes. Nice article in the 'Scots Independent', BTW.
Posted by: Dark Lochnagar | February 14, 2011 at 02:38 AM
What frustrates me about this is that the devil is in the detail, and that despite your clear exposition of the truth, it is buried by a load of unionist spin.
To you or I, that is fairly well shocking, we know different, but people that are not that interested see the headlines in all mainstream media and assume it is the 'truth'.
The SNP has to 'up' it's media profile big time.
Any ideas?
Posted by: douglas clark | February 14, 2011 at 01:06 AM
There was an e-petition recently on the Scottish parliamnet site regarding Megrahi. It had quite a few signatures.
Could we do one so Gray could release all his correspondence with London relating to Megrahi? Is that how it works?
Posted by: Suq | February 12, 2011 at 11:36 AM
contrary to others opinion, I thought Alex Salmond tore Ian
Gray a new one today at First Ministers questions.
Ian Gray and the chinless Baker have been shown up for exactly what they are fakes and liars. Is this who the labour supporters want to represent them ? I see the Jim Devine story being used as a fire blanket for all of the bad stench that reeks from Labour in Scotland.
You do have to ask why Jim Devine has been hung out to dry when so many like him are guilty of the same fiddling of their expenses and lots more.
Its almost as if they are using these few to draw a line in much the same way those cretins who think they have hurt the bankers with their bankers levy.
But it is more of the same, skirt over the problem by appearing to deal with the problems , but nothing has changed.
Come May I pray and I am not a holy joe, that the SNP get a majority government, but then the big job will start and that is the unspoken problems that lie within and need to be cleared out no matter who it affects.
Posted by: romeplebian | February 10, 2011 at 06:57 PM
It is not just the absence of e-mails etc it is also the absence of Iain Gray throughout this whole thing. Where is he? Not the behaviour of someone who wants to lead is it?
Posted by: CWH | February 10, 2011 at 05:31 PM
It would be terrible for democracy if Grey became First Minister as he would had won by default. Scottish Labour are in a great position to blame everything on the SNP and effectively cover up the fact that any cuts in Scotland are a result of the CON/DEM coalition at Westminster.
Grey is the most political opportunistic politician in the UK and the man disgusts me. He can't even bring himself to condemn Cameron in parliament for fear of people swinging towards the SNP as the realise the cuts etc are not the SNP's making.
Over Megrahi's release he was pathetic and he still is. This man can do and say what he wants because the polls favour him at the moment and many in Scotland tend to run to Labour when a blue nose is in number 10.
SNP cuts Tory in number 10 is the dream ticket for Grey but the SNP should fight the election on Iain Grey becoming First Minister, most Scots don't even know who this plonker is??
Posted by: Allan Christie | February 10, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Concerning Gray, he just isn't a political animal. His outbursts against Ireland,Iceland and Montenegro demonstrate that.If you had the opportunity to talk one to one with him and asked why he was in politics I suspect that you get soundbites but he would be unable to convincingly explain. He is a bag carrier,a go-for. Murphy and Baker however they know well why they are in politics, not that they would tell you. Notice how Murphy, a prime publicity seeker,darling of the Herald seems to be "away" whilst the Megrahi revelations bubble away. Baker being inexperienced has yet to learn the merits of "the long grass".
Our non-interested public need to be warned, if Labour succeeds in gaining power at Holyrood then the UK, and so Scotland will have a decade of Tory rule - and so enable Cameron to effect a mass transfer of assets from public to private.
Posted by: Gavin C Barrie | February 10, 2011 at 04:56 PM
Baker is a liar and any man worth his salt would now apologise. If the situation was reversed he would be calling for his own head.
Posted by: Dark Lochnagar | February 10, 2011 at 11:23 AM
I think we all know that Gray only formed a view on the release about 10 seconds after McCaskill announced his decision. Had McCaskill refused compassionate release, Gray would have been in favour of it. Oh, and if Gray had been FM, we all know that Megrahi would have been in Libya before his cancer was even diagnosed, released under the PTA negotiated by Blair for the very purpose of offloading Megrahi in exchange for trade deals.
Gray can't get out of this one. Liar, hypocrite, puppet? Which is it. Maybe all three actually...
Posted by: Alibi | February 10, 2011 at 08:19 AM