SNP Tactical Voting (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009
The Scotsman delights today in bringing us the news of Jim Sillars' 'bombshell' that the former deputy leader of the party believes the SNP should have policies to keep Trident and join NATO. I don't know where certain individuals stand in the supposed fundamentalist vs gradualist struggle (particularly as I barely register on either score), but it sounds a bit like Jim is letting his impatient fundamentalist...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009
Glasgow might be a good option What they said about Glasgow "The city has higher levels of poverty, deprivation and substance misuse than all other authorities in Scotland." Scotland's Social Work Inspection Agency. "Life expectancy in Glasgow East is lower than the Gaza Strip." Angus Robertson MP, July 2008. Population 584,240. Local politics Glasgow district council is controlled...
SNP Tactical Voting (Free subscription) | 14/11/2009
It doesn't really matter if the suggested cost of an independence referendum of £12m is accurate or not, that figure is out in the open now and sounds rather high. For that reason, and several others that I will get to, the SNP needs to drop its plans in order to keep ahead of the rest of the chasing pack at Holyrood by the country mile gap that they currently enjoy. However, with the 30th of...
Stephen's Linlithgow Journal (Free subscription) | 14/11/2009
I've been quiet all week, not able to keep an eye on t'internet. So I've only just checked on Tam Smith the SNP candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk's website. Since one of my last posts before the crash was looking at Tam's propensity to speak the talk of other SNP luminaries I'm pleased to see other's are now speaking on his blog. In the last week he appears to have learnt the lesson and is...
Andrew Reeves' running blog (Free subscription) | 13/11/2009
So, finally the Labour Government have gained a seat in a parliamentary by-election in this Parliamentary term. Labour have finally turned the corner in campaigning terms in Scotland in my opinion. Watching them in three consecutive by-elections in just over 12 months has been really interesting. In Glasgow East Labour ran not only the wrong campaign, they took so long getting their campaign into gear...
SNP Tactical Voting (Free subscription) | 29/10/2009
I have to be honest, the more I think about Tony Blair as EU President, the more I like it. Love it, even. Deep down, I think we can all admit that we've missed him dearly. I don't know how likely the eventual appointment is but Gordon Brown looks reasonable in maturely campaigning for Tony Blair to be EU President while David Cameron's comments will surely be seen as childish. To reduce the former...
SCOTLAND NEWS INFORMATION BLOG. (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
TOKEN TURNAROUND ON TA CUTS. Commenting on the UK Government’s cuts concession on Territorial Army training announced in an urgent question this afternoon (Monday), SNP Westminster Leader and Defence spokesperson Angus Robertson MP, who has led calls for the cuts to be abandoned, called for the government to clarify the financial consequences of the decision for the TA in Scotland. Mr Robertson...
Helmand Blog - Afghanistan (Free subscription) | 19/10/2009
Tornado crews from RAF Lossiemouth have returned home after four-and-a-half months in Afghanistan. The Moray base's 12 (Bomber) Squadron has been based at Kandahar, in temperatures of more than 45C. The air crew and ground crew left RAF Lossiemouth on 14 June and helped during the Afghan elections, as well as operating in Helmand Province. SNP MP Angus Robertson said there would be a "great deal...
The Daily Rant (Free subscription) | 15/10/2009
Just when you thought it was safe to come out from behind the sofa another party political conference has swung into action. This time it's the turn of the SNP, who as leaders of a minority administration in the Scottish Parliament have much to discuss. Top of the agenda at the nationalists' 75th annual meeting in Inverness will be the proposed referendum on independence , which at this moment in...
SCOTLAND NEWS INFORMATION BLOG. (Free subscription) | 15/10/2009
UTTERLY DAMNING' REPORT REVEALS SCANDAL OF MoD WASTE PUBLICATION TIMING RAISES QUESTIONS OVER UK GOVT'S BEHAVIOUR Commenting on the publication of the long awaited defence procurement review by Bernard Gray, SNP Westminster leader and party Defence spokesperson Angus Robertson MP said revelations over a £35bn budget overspend reignited the debate over Trident renewal whilst the timing of the...
The Grumpy Spindoctor (Free subscription) | 15/10/2009
Earlier this week the SNP patted itself on the back for promptly disclosing that six of its MPs, including the Member for Banff and Buchan would pay back any sums that Sir Thomas Legg's independent audit of MP's expenses claims ruled they owed. Just to recap, Mr Salmond was asked to repay £710.88, as part of the inquiry into MPs expenses, in a claim lodged for removal costs from London to Aberdeenshire...
SCOTLAND NEWS INFORMATION BLOG. (Free subscription) | 14/10/2009
POLL ANALYSIS SHOWS SCOTS TURN TO THE SNP and AWAY FROM LABOUR RED FACES FOR GRAY & MURPHY AS POLLS SHOW SCOTS GO SNP THE MORE THEY SEE OF THE TORIES As the SNP prepares to hold its third annual conference in Government a further analysis of the Sky News / YouGov daily tracking polls over the last three weeks which, covered the course of the three UK party conferences, not only shows that the SNP...
SNP Tactical Voting (Free subscription) | 13/10/2009
The Scotland on Sunday lecture at this weekend's SNP party conference will involve Angus Robertson MP discussing the party's approach to defence in an independent Scotland. I thought, in a bid to get even more in the mood for Conference, over the next few days I'd blog about a few of the fringe events that I plan on attending. After a spate of media articles in the past few days, we know that the SNP's...
The Sound of Gunfire (Free subscription) | 13/10/2009
More fantasy politics from our beloved Gnats, this time talking about defence . Angus Robertson, the MP for RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth, has been outlining how he thinks Scotland could go it alone on defence when freed of the clutches of the Evil English. To an extent that's fair enough: you wouldn't expect a Gnat MP to do anything else but bang on about how Scotland will be a land of milk and...
A Very British Dude (Free subscription) | 12/10/2009
The SNP have looked like delusional morons again, this time regarding defence matters . The SNP are convinced that English troops will remain on Scottish soil post independence. You know, like when they used to do after Culloden, Methven, Berwick, Dunbar, Falkirk, Flodden et all. Only this time there will be no face paint, Anti-Semitic Australians in tartan hats or sharp objects involved. Angus Robertson...
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