Labour the Home Rule Guard! - Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Yousuf Hamid?

Yousuf yesterday blogged about the latest opinion poll saying how it could lead to a hung Parliament. He also pointed to his post from Friday about how only, in his eyes, a vote for Labour would deliver Home Rule as laid out by the Calman Commission.

 

Now I'm not someone you whose eyes you can easily pull the wool over so lets look at the facts. Yes Labour brought us devolution, but the main goal wasn't so much to give Home Rule to Scotland and Wales, it was a way they saw to deal with the Northern Ireland situation and a small price (even smaller in Wales's case) to pay. You only have to look at how committed some of the same Labour MPs who were still sitting on the green benches when Tony Blair pushed through the devolution Acts were to the no campaigns in 1970 to see how deep their commitment was. The party was split on the issue in the 1970s. As I've blogged before both here and on Malc's 'vacationing' blog the Lib Dems or their predecessor parties really are the party of Home Rule, with over a century of talking about it, bringing bills before Parliament and attempting to make it happen.

 

Not convinced then you only have to look at how much central control the Labour Westminster administration has taken in, even with varying degrees of devolution in some of the outer reaches. They are trying to micromanage education (12 different Bills in 12 years), health, crime etc from London instead of letting the local authorities have responsibility for their own regions. Where a bespoke approach based on central tenants is what is needed, Labour have offered the regions of England and to a lesser extent the devolved parts an off the peg answer.

 

Look how the greater power that has been given to the Scottish people, the variable tax raising powers given to Scotland were not a Labour initiative but came from the other members of the Constitutional Convention. Fairer votes for Local Government came from the 2003 Partnership agreement with the Lib Dems. Indeed so did much of the policy differences they brought in, some of which like a personal care-lite they announced in the Queen's Speech. They are not a Home Rule party they are a centrist party, always have been and continue to be so.

 

However, Yousuf is right to mention about the only way to ensure Home Rule in a post titled Hung Parliament. If either Labour or the Conservatives were really committed to Home Rule they would have brought legislation ages ago to bring it about. After a 75 year gap from the previous Bill for Scottish Home Rule the Scotland Act came before Parliament. However, when they are safe they don't think about such things, the 1970 Scottish referendum came about because Labour needed the backing of the Liberals the help them through tough waters. It was another Scottish born Labour MP, George Cunningham, who set the bar high enough for the referendum to fail. Indeed it was only the threat of a hung parliament in 1997 that made Tony Blair let Robin Cook sit down to discuss electoral reform, Lord's reform and devolution with the Lib Dems.

 

So therefore if you want you see Home Rule in Scotland the best way for any move to come is liable to be through a hung Parliament, not an overall majority for either of the parties that are backing away from the Calman Commission's report. Then the power to help see it through will lie in the Liberal Democrats, not that I'm advocating a hung Parliament, we'd get a far more sensible, sane and progressive agenda carried out under a Lib Dem majority, than either of the other two.

Parish Notice

Blogging has been light for the past fortnight for a couple of reasons. While I was off work for that time firstly in week one my broadband gave up on me, then in week two once that had been sorted my laptop decided it was only going to survive for  a max of about 15 minutes a time before freezing, but more often between 5 and 10 minutes.

 

Therefore to have made last week's Lib Dem Voice Golden Dozen despite all the difficulties in getting anything published makes it somewhat more warming that my previous mentions amongst the most popular and best Lib Dem posts of the week.

 

Thank you everyone for bearing with me. as regular readers will now today is a Monday so I'm not likely to get into any heavy posting today but hope to resume some sort of semi-normal posting again from tomorrow while my laptop visits the Doctor's surgery.

It's Friday So......(Thiery Henry Special)

Well sorry I was not posting my usual 5PM Friday snippet for the last two weeks. Last week I had no t'internet. This week my little laptop has been playing up. However, as this weekend I'll be spending Saturday at the Lib Dem Blogger's Unconference in Edinburgh, I thought I better do my usual weekend tweet.

So courtesy of Dublin FM104 radio with a little help from Norwegian stars A-ha



For my non-Irish, or non-football following readers here is what has made the former Arsenal playing Ireland's most hated man. Having lost 1-0 to the French at Croke Park in Dublin. The Irish were in Paris for the second leg of the play off for the World. The got the equalising goal in normal time. But towards the end of the first period of extra time, the "hand of frog" incident occurred.



When the wife of Kevin Lang Edinburgh North and Leith Lib Dem PPC saw Thierry Henry over breakfast a few months back in their hotel, I know wish she's chopped off his left hand.

Debating the Empty Speech

As I blogged earlier the Queen's speech lacked ways to improve Government accountability, or any concrete ways to meet their aim to cut the deficit by 50%.

Well David Cameron in his response has just pointed out that there are 11 Kelly Commission recommendations still to pass into law. He asked where were these issues in the speech. He also offered to give way to the Prime Minister if he said he was going to implement these before the election. He did this not once but twice, the Prime Minister's only movement was to turn and whisper the the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman, sat on his right had. Cameron then also went on to point out where was the action to cut the deficit as promised. He was ready to give way again for these details to be given. Again the Prime Minister refused to oblige. He also asked where were the three important letter's NHS.

Coming on the PM's response however, hoping to hear some response to these matters. He approached the issue of the Copenhagen Summit and the issue that Cameron has agreed with him upon. He also touched upon the Afghanistan issue and the elements that again they agreed on. In the end though the Prime Minister reiterated the Bills that he was bringing before the house, he failed to mention the Kelly proposals or how he was going to cut the deficit saying Labour are "the only party with policies" to lead us out of recession, strangely none of them in his previous list, or outlined in the speech. So where are these policies?

Only when questioned did he say this would happen by raising the top rate of tax, reviewing pensions and raising National Insurance contributions. So all raising more money, but surely some tightening of the belt is also required to reach such a target so quickly unless these tax increases are going to be majorly prohibitive.

The Prime Minister is still mixing up clean(er) coal and carbon capture and storage as a ways to attack climate change. Both are merely cleaner not clean, CC&S for example still has a 60% carbon footprint of a conventional coal fired power station, clean coal is even higher.

After a reprise of the list of bills however, the Prime Minister sat down still without addressing the remaining Kelly recommendations and still without any firm government savings to help reduce the deficit.

Nick Clegg then rose to respond to the 'fantasy Queen's speech'. The called the employment plans what they were, reannouncements. Getting the banks lending again, setting out a clear Afghanistan strategy. He mentioned that of the policies in last years Queen's speech only two made it unto the statute book by May of this year. He also said that the making of laws is doing nothing, but what is needed is action. He called for real radical action in splitting up the banks on the recommendation of the Bank of England*, instead of the displacement policies they have come up with.

He said the improving schools bill, the twelve in 12 years, which so far have not yet improved skills. There are some bills that offer more than they will deliver, the bill on doing away with (some) cluster bombs, the provision of free personal care (to some). He did however point out that reductions are needed for credibility.

He asks what it should be doing? It should be looking at political reform, this should have been giving a clean bill of health to the next Parliament. The issues he outlined in his article on Monday. These reforms could transform our threadbare political institutions. But that opportunity to do the right thing has yet again be squandered.

Charles Clarke went on the back Clegg and Vince Cable's approach on banking, and the Lib Dem and Conservative claims to bring in more political reform, including bringing in fixed term Parliaments. he went on to say that while there some good points in it, there were things in it or omitted from it that made it hard to support.

*The splitting of retail and casino (investment) banking was backed by Charles Clarke immediately following Nick, and John McFall then agreed with Chris Huhne that the example of Canada wasn't appropriate as their investment portion was so small.

The Queen's Speech - Initial Thoughts

For the last time in this the 15th Parliament of her reign the Queen has delivered the words that her Government's wishes. Well after all the pomp and circumstance has led to the Queen taking her seat on the throne in the House of Lords. When Black Rod entered the Commons though it was surprisingly sparsely populated on the Labour benches.

Frank (Oops*) Dennis Skinner shouted out "Royal Expenses are on the way!" in his traditional role as mischief maker in chief. Then all the Members, including the Lib Dems showing they still respect the authority of the crown just not the the content of this speech, followed the Speaker to the other place. But what did the speech contain once they all stood at the back of the Upper Chamber?

Well the main thrust was the economy but how was that to be done? Fostering growth through education and training. International collaboration for Economic Growth and Climate Change (strangely of course the rejection of bring 10:10 to the House recently grates against that, can't get their own House in order). Though they have mentioned their new buzz cleaner fuel Carbon Capture and Storage, but no mention about utilising other renewables and to there was an announcement to help the poorest households with their energy bills. There is also going to be the legislation laid to bring about a high speed rail link between London and Scotland.

Regulation of the financial service industry to be brought in over the governance and benefits that the banking sector currently enjoys. So Gordon Brown is going to sort out the mess of the regulation of the financial sector that he brought in as Chancellor. There was also the vague promise to bring lgislation forward to half the deficit. Wow! That will be a lot to achieve in 70 days, and it is also very wishy washy, it is hardly a line that can be thrown away, yet the speech component of this would be able to fit into a Tweet.

Free personal care, but only to those in highest need. Parents to take responsibility of children's anti-social behaviour, so an even greater tightening of civil liberty you may not be judged by the sins of your fathers but those of your children. This from the Government that wants everybody to work full time, encouraging people off benefits with a stick, so parental supervision is going to be harder to achieve in some cases. 'Continue' to narrow the gap between rich and poor, equality of pay between men and women. Neither of these two have been effective attacked in 12 years of a Labour government surprisingly and now in their dying breathe they want to resolve the issues they have ignored or on occasions made worse over the last 3 parliaments. But there is to be movement on temporary agency workers, something that I've seen first hand for the last 8 years or so and needs greater protection, long overdue.

Constitutional reform, will continue to be brought forward, a democratic mandate for the Lords. Sadly there appeared to be very little in this section of reforming Parliament, not enough to please the people. Though Parliament will work with the Northern Irish to continue the devolution of Police and Law and Order, the one outstanding devolution from the Agreement from the start of Blair's years. There is also a promise of more powers to Wales and a continuation of working with Scotland, I didn't hear anything to implement any of the Calman proposals so Labour are dropping the ball on Scotland, and the Tories are unlikely to pick it up if they take power.

However, how this Government can work towards a world without nuclear weapons while being committed to replacing Trident is something we all want to know. But they are to bring an end to cluster munitions, after 12 years they have finally got around to tyring to deal with one Princess Diana's legacies and do away with landmines.

There is a lot of noble talk but there are some things that are too big to have been left to the end, the Equality Bill for example surely should have been a first term commitment rather than a rump achievement. They are taking steps towards the Lib Dem policy of free personal care. There was some mention of education as well, so the mantra from the pre-1997 election of "Education, Education, Education" is still looking for a resolution over 12 years later, surely some sort of failure of their Prime objective. Lord's Reform is still a draft bill, nothing about fair votes, getting big money out of politics, stuff that could have given a clean bill to the next parliament but no steps in that direction.

These are purely my initial thoughts of what struck me from what was said, as it was being said. I may look at the full text later and pick up some other things.

*May have something to do with the watching the repeat of BBC Children in Need's Frank Skinner narrated Round the World in 80 Days just before sleep last night.

Dave Leads by Chasing Down a Bolted Bandwagon

The man widely tipped as the next Prime Minister has yet again shown his lack of 'leadership' by following Nick Clegg's attack on the Labour publicising Queen's speech that I gave an alternative for yesterday.

Mind you Cameron's posturing is also just that, he says "What we need is radicalism and the Conservatives have proved that we are the only party to possess it."His radicalism is aimed at conquering the recession, social problems and the political system.

However, look at some of that radicalism, on the national debt, they are revisiting the child credit on the highest paid, good so are the Lib Dems. Yet they are also looking to reward the highest paid with perks in inheritance tax. They are looking to freeze public sector pay, the Lib Dems have also promised that for the top end jobs. The conservatives have promised to do so for all but the lowest paid 1 million, that is all the public sector workers paid under £18,000. It may be radical but is hardly improving the lot of social problems, especially for the low paid public servants who have to work in London.

On our broken society Cameron admits that his triumvirate teenage pregnancy, addiction and crime won't be fixed overnight. Strange that he is attacking Labour of bringing things they won't have time to achieve by offering up an alternative that is also unachievable. However, they are saying that any suitably qualified organisation can set up a new school anywhere they wished. Those that mean Ronald McDonald or Disney High Schools, after all those these multinationals have educational programmes within their corporate structure, indeed for that matter so do most multi-nationals.

If these qualified organisations can set up a school anywhere they want, surely won't they be looking for where they may most benefit to the organisation? Surely these will not be set up where the new school is most needed. Yes Cameron then mentions his pupil premium to encourage schools to take on pupils from less advantaged backgrounds, but what if these new schools are getting set up too far away to be of use?

As for Parliamentary reform he says he will cut ministers’ salaries by 5 per cent, scrap the perks and subsidies of parliamentary life, reign in the quango state and give power to local government, communities, families and individuals.

Ok the first is in line with Public Service restructuring the Lib Dems have proposed. But just what does Cameron mean by the perks and subsidies of parliamentary life? How far reaching those that stretch into necessary expenses to ensure that being a Member of Parliament isn't just a job for the well off, as it was in the 19th century? We've already seen that some of their radical reforms will hurt aspirant MPs from less well off situations, potentially losing a level of representative and experience to the House.

Unlike Nick who yesterday gave a number of concrete proposals to make real change is giving power to the people Cameron is (as the Tories have so long) being vague of the specifics. You really must wonder just when anything concrete, and fair, will actually come from the Tories rather than homilies and aspirational words on this.

A Question of Sexuality - or Not

As a family genealogy geek I've spent a lot of time recently looking through the PDF files of the Irish Census from 1911. Indeed some friends will doubtless tell you of my excitement as the time for the County Londonderry returns to go online earlier in the year.


I know the importance in history of the accuracy of the information that is given. I also like the fact that some relatives have given extra information* not required, but which for history makes things easier to look into a verify. Therefore when I heard that the Government were considering adding a question about sexuality to the 2011 census I thought about whether this was a good idea or not.

There are two official takes on it, first there is the one of my former colleagues at the Office of National Statistics (ONS) who say that it won't provide a true reflection of the number of gay, lesbian and bi-sexual members of society. Then there is view of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) who say it is vital to know how many gays, lesbians and bisexuals there are in Britain, where they live and what jobs they do so the progress of equality legislation can be measured.

I'd say that both are partially correct. The inclusion of the question isn't going to give an accurate reflection, indeed one of the most misrepresented groups would be the bi-sexual population. Anyone who spends anytime around the gay community will know that they are people out there who will say 'I'm not gay but...' the but is of course that they will happily engage in sexual acts with those of the same sex. There will be bisexuals out there who are in monogamous (or not**) 'heterosexual' relationships and not all of them will be totally open telling their partner that is the case, so to fill it in on a census form would definitely be out.

The census is there to gather an accurate picture of the population, the question of sexuality is not even one that every member of society is able to answer. Coming out is hard enough for many of us, to possibly feel obliged to do so, or lie about it on a census form when others around you are filling it in is an issue. In fact looking to see what would have happened in previous census returns for myself in 1991 I was denying my own sexuality, so would not have given an accurate return to that question. In 2001 I had just moved in with my ex-fiancée's parents, who fortunately did know my sexuality, but could have been embarrassing otherwise. That is just me, and while I don't wear it on my sleeve it is not something that is hidden from people around, people who will also appear on a census return.

What about people in residences of multiple occupancy? I notice the wording of the question appears to only cover straight, bi or gay. So what about the whole grey area of transgender/transsexual identities? Or what about asexuality or polyamorous relationships? Indeed it is a very complex issue and not one that can be passed of in one question and tick box. A spokesperson for the ONS said:

"A suite of questions would be necessary to collect data on the different dimensions of sexual orientation, including attraction, behaviour and identity."

Even then are we using the Kinsey scale for each of the three aspects? Indeed passed on the three question option my answers will have been changing over the last two census years and will be different again at the next one.

Yeah I know we already have the optional question about religion, but people are more prepared to talk about that, or simply write in Jedi. However, there is talk of rephrasing that question as a two-parter, the first asking "Do you identify with a religion?" then the yes respondents filling in which.

Obviously I'm not advocating 'don't ask, don't tell' as that hides more things behind the scenes than a level of openness will provide. However, I'm with the ONS on this one. The question cannot be worded in a way that will provide an accurate measurement, at this time. For starters it is not a complete question, second while there many out there are gay and proud, there are also many who are bi and shy.

From personal experience I would say that many straight and especially religious people may be opting out of answering the question. Indeed many religious groups are already saying it is an invasion of privacy. There is also as I pointed out liable to be a skew to the gay and straight responses and the bi-sexual (and others) segment of identity is going to be under-represented through a number of reasons. Or course that is personal anecdotal opinion and not quantitative (which some will argue is the point of the census question) but I think if there was a way to measure it (which I don't think there is) it would bear out in practise.

*Examples include cities rather than just County or other UK Country. Widow(er)s including length of marriage and children details when this was only requested of couples.

** Though I'll focus on the monogamous ones rather than those that also cheat, not a condition restricted to gay or bi but also present amongst the straight community, in case Jan Moir is reading this.

Make It So - The Reforming Queen's Speech

The Labour Pre-Manifesto Queen's speech is being attacked in today's Independent by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg as a "waste of everyone's time" over the next 70 days of Government sitting before a General Election is called. Merely acting as window dressing for a lot of what Labour want to do beyond the date of the poll.

Here then is what Nick and the people want want to hear when she takes her speech out of the pouch on the throne in the Lords on Wednesday.

My Government would like to apologise to the my subjects for the way it has flagrantly mistreated them, and their money, over their expenses claims. They have listened to One's subjects are will be putting together a programme of wide sweeping reform to remedy this lack of trust, accountability and transparency before they come to One ready to go to the people in the spring.

Over the next seventy days my Government will start by enacting all the proposals of the Kelly Commission without exception. (gasps from those standing at the rear of the chamber). Oh yes you will. (aside: Can One still send them to the Tower?) As many as can be will be in place immediately shall be, the remainder will be enabled ready to come into effect on the resumption of the next Parliamentary session.

My Government realises though that the Kelly Commission report is merely a way of capturing the horse after it has bolted, so is proposing with the rest of Parliaments time to shore up the stable and paddock as well, so that the temptation or ability to bolt in this way is not presentable again to its members.

Therefore My Government will bring to both Houses legislation to curb the power of the whips offices, enabling more power to be placed in the hands of back bench MPs and therefore those of One's subjects whom they represent. Further to this they will present a Bill to set the length of each subsequent Parliament Term to occur on the first Thursday of may every four years thereafter, thus removing the ability of my Government to benefit from a favourable mood in the nation, something which their monarch has never had the ability so to do.

Legislation will also be brought before both Houses to install a Member's code of conduct, including an independent commission to adjudicate on members maintaining of said code. They will then also move a Bill that any Member in serious breach of the code, can when one in ten of their electorate deem fit face a recall election, in which they are entitled to stand either with the backing of their party, or falling that as an independent and any who choose to challenge them on their record.

This brings my Government to the part of how such elections will be carried out. Firstly by the end of this session my Government will pass a Bill to fully elect the House of Lords. The current Life Peers will take on the title of Working Peers. Each party representation will decide amongst their current Membership, by lot, three thirds measures of their membership. Their representation will be distributed evenly dependent on electorate across geographical areas in line with the European Election regions. The first third will present themselves to the public in 2012, for election for six years, the subsequent thirds in 2014 and 2016. The same rules of Code of Conduct and for procedure when they are breached shall also apply to One's Working Peers.

Finally my Government proposes to bring legislation to this place and the other place that all elections to seats in this Palace will be contested by proportional representation, using a Single Transferable Vote, for multi-member wards. The first for working peers will be in place in 2012, and the Boundary Commission with draw up 5-6 members constituencies for the lower chamber in time for the election that shall occur on the first day of May in the year of our Lord 2014 D.V. which may be the sixty-second year of One's reign if One is spared.

All this shall come to be for the sake of One's subjects, for sake of restoring trust in My Government and My Opposition and all who deem to represent the people of this United Kingdom in these places.

(At the point Her Majesty adjusted the royal robes, leaned forward slightly in the throne and looked down the chamber to where the Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Rt. Hon Nick Clegg and other leaders were standing. Looking them in the eye she raised her right hand and pointed the four fingers in their direction) Make it so, number ones.

Update: See also Stephen Tall's reflections at Lib Dem Voice.

Local Investment Secured for Town Centres Welcome

Tam Smith has posted a question for me on an older blog entry. He asks:

"Stephen,What do you think of the almost 3 million pounds worth of Town Centre regeneration funding provided by an SNP administration for the constituency we represent.

"We have all been working hard with local groups and our partners in Holyrood to secure such funding thus providing much needed jobs in construction as well as adding a facelift to local shops etc.Where were the Lib Dems when all of this was going on.Come on Stephen let's be positive and work together for the benefit of our local areas.I can assure you it wasn't easy taking part in the bids but it was more worthwhile than critisising [sic] ones web page postings. Tam."

Firstly I welcome the the £2.345 million investment that the SNP administration are earmarking for the town centres of Linlithgow, Bathgate, Armadale and Whitburn. Also for the extra funding that Bathgate's Business Improvement District (BID) Company, Enterprising Bathgate, have also secured from the Scottish Parliament. Although neither of us currently represent any part of the constituency, although very shortly we may both be seeking to do so for all of it.

As for where the Lib Dems have been Tam should ask local business owners just who turned up at their crisis meeting here in Bathgate in June 2005? I'll give you a clue it wasn't any of the local councillors, the MP, MSPs, or 3 of the other parliamentary candidates of the month before. The Lib Dems truly did show they worked for local interests all year round not just at election times. As well as that I've attended meetings about the impact of paid parking to business, residents and others in Linlithgow. As well as meetings that led to Linlithgow becoming a shining beacon of environmentalism in the county.

I've been advocating and been fighting for a fair deal for Whitburn, Armdale, Bathgate, Linlithgow and the other West Lothian town centres that have seemed to suffer in the eight years I have lived here while the Livingston shopping experience grows and increases in size and pull. I've always been there to offer advise and support in their attempts to get a fair deal for themselves, something that the businesses have driven themselves moving forward. I've been working away hard, on the ground, moving things forward for years.

Indeed there are councillors on both side of the council chamber and our independent councillor who know that I already will happily work with them on issues of mutual interest. Tam should have known from our meetings, or from discussion with his colleagues, that I would have been happy to discuss involvement with such an incentive, yet he lays it down as a challenge, almost as if I and the Lib Dems have done nothing.

Sadly knowing as I do the number of businesses that have already disappeared from many of these town centres the investment is too late for some local business owners. But this investment is better late than never.

In March 2008 the Council said it would be matching the BID funding in Bathgate to make a total of £750,000. Though at the start of this year Enterprise Bathgate valued at £990,000 the benefit their funding would bring to the town where I live. Tam, himself, does seem a little confused about the exact benefit of the Enterprising Bathgate portion of the funding, he starts by saying that West Lothian Council and Enterprising Bathgate are investing a further £800,000 into the pot, then later says that it is £935,000 from Enterprising Bathgate topped up with £260,000 from the council. Maybe he would like to clarify which of the three figures is the correct one.

With so many conflicting figures it is hard for the electorate to discern just what level of investment is to be given. The news was too late for this weeks local papers, so I will get the facts straightened when they are available for everyone.

I've borrowed from Tam's website the full list of the projects that will be included:

Armadale

● develop transport and town centre connections by improving access and developing the streetscape, pedestrian walkways and cycle routes.

● refurbish the Goth Tower clock, together with town centre shopfront improvements and signage.

● develop the public realm at The Cross.


Linlithgow

● improvement to connections between the town centre/rail station/union canal, focusing on Low Port as a gateway.

● improvements in the Conservation Area to retail and business shop fronts together with improved signage.

● in partnership with Historic Scotland develop better connections between the Town Centre and Linlithgow Palace, including improved event access, signage, heritage conservation and other physical developments.

● re-location of new heritage facility into the Burgh Halls.


Whitburn

● address safer connections at The Cross and links to residential areas, transport sites and car parking sites, including measures to enhance mobility, pedestrian and cycle use.

● improvements in the town centre to retail and business shop fronts together with improved signage and better streetscape layout.

● acquisition of derelict land site in Whitburn Town Centre and restoration for development.

Bathgate

● The creation of a town centre Wi-Fi zone in Bathgate for customers and businesses.

● Develop town centre cycle network linking park and ride/transport interchange/town centre, regal conference/Arts Facility/Lindsay house including cycling provisions at each site along with signage.

● The provision of new and improved signage/retail frontage within core business to in Bathgate.

● The provision of a transport interchange to connect Bathgate and Airdrie including new signage, lighting and public information.

There is also £350,000 for Bo'ness and Grangemouth at the northern end of the Westminster constituency which had been secured in the first tranche of funding earlier this year as part of the BID pilot projects.

UPDATE: I notice that the BBC indicates that the Scottish Parliament is investing £1.7 million in to Armadale, Almondvale (what more!!!) and Broxburn. Now I know Linlithgow have got £94k from the Climate Challenge fund, even if Enterprise Bathgate is a seperate endeavour, I take it then than Council funding is coming for the Whitburn elements.

PS I notice that the criticism of Tam's use of quotes on his webpage was taken on board and was actually praised for doing so last night. I'm hoping for an honest campaign heading into the Westminster election, the people deserve transparency and openness in their Westminster representative when they get to decide on who that should be.

Ronan Speaks About Loss of 'Lil Brother' Steo

In this morning's Observer Ronan Keating gives his first interview since the sudden death of Stephen Gately last month. I'll warn you now have the tissues ready before you click this link to the story.

He tells of the little things that make things hard, the missing laughter of Stephen, his number appearing in his mobile, the book they were both reading that Stephen never got to the end of and the feeling he had when he did, the premiere they had planned to attend together. Gately may have been a year Keating's senior but his boyish charm made Ronan, from a family of sisters look on him as his little brother.

He was in Chicago preparing to run the city's marathon when he heard the news. He couldn't believe that the Stephen who had passed away was the bands 'Steo' it surely had to be another Stephen. But then he threw himself into preparing for the funeral. In a way I fully understand that. It was like me and my mum at about 2:30am after my father had died, she came to my room because the light was still on and was working on her to do list to check if there was anything else, of course I added a few things. The practical things sure are a way to keep focus, but there is also a strange sense like Ronan has now looking back on things how surreal your actions are to carry on with some sense of normality or activity when everything has suddenly been shaken up like that.

Going on he says that the funeral was hard. Getting out of the car with people clapping didn't seem right. The normal celebrity reaction to turn wave and smile wasn't right. He says he and the rest of the band didn't want to appear rude, but also didn't want to appear disrespectful, so just kept their eyes on the ground.

However, he did say:

"When times are at their worst, it's amazing what people will do for you. I've seen, this last couple of weeks, the genuine support from the public – it has been incredible – and from the media, bar one. It's been amazing."

Oh yeah the Jan Moir elephant in the room was touched upon. This is the first time that anyone who was close to the story has actually spoken candidly about it. Ronan went on to say:

"None of us read the article because we were told 'You wouldn't want to read it' so we purposely didn't, we ignored it. But obviously it was unavoidable to hear what comments were being made, and I think it's disgusting. It was just wrong; one, for her to write it, and two, for the paper to print it. It shouldn't have been allowed. It was wrong. It looked to me like someone trying to make a name for themselves out of a terrible situation, a devastating situation. And what was worse was the apology – the alleged apology, that was written a week later, was her defending herself! It's just disgraceful. Again, for her to do it and for the paper to allow it. I'm dumbfounded. It's bizarre.

"But anyway, again, I wouldn't dwell on it. I wouldn't want to give her any publicity for that. He was a human being. A human being with feelings; a husband, a family that have feelings. At what point do people cross that line? Incredible," he shakes his head. "Incredibly insensitive."

Guess that unpology was recognised as such by more than just me.

However, Ronan has got himself back into work. When his mother Marie died of breast cancer 11 years ago, he hide himself away for a bit and turned to drink, which he admits wasn't good for him. This time he is back working, promoting his new album Winter Songs which is out tomorrow. Also there will be two tracks on the new Boyzone album which will feature the already recorded voice of Stephen. One of the tracks is going to be the next Boyzone single and Ronan has predicted this tribute is liable to be the biggest hit of 2010.