Comments on Stephen's Linlithgow Journal: Just Who's For Eating Humble Pie?

Actually Calum we had to amend the UK manifesto fo...

2008-09-01T17:19:00.000+01:00

Actually Calum we had to amend the UK manifesto for Scotland in 2005 as 8 of the 10 pledges we were making to the people elsewhere in the UK had already been enacted or when in the Programme of Government to be so in Scotland. So error one is that the Scottish manifesto was significantly different than the UK one.

Error two as you know Nicol wasn't leader at the time of the 2005 General Election Jim Wallace was, plus he was big enough along with the party to make such amendments and present to the people of Scotland.

Error three Calum is that the press release from the SNP at the weekend worded it 1000 additional recruits no longer 1000 additional officers.

Just checking are you in the loop up there in N&L? ;)

The point was that the policy area was not reserve...

2008-09-01T17:08:00.000+01:00

The point was that the policy area was not reserved but that Lib Dems were already in government in Scotland and in a position to deliver on additional police but failed completely.

The red tape surrounding police officers in Scotland is entirely devolved with the exception of BTP officers so the Lib Dems were in a position to act.

The truth about the Lib Dem 2005 election was that the UK manifesto ran in Scotland as well and Nicol Stephen wasn't big enough to get it changed. Whether Tavish will be remains to be seen.

The SNP will deliver 1,000 additional police officers over the lifetime of this Parliament.

I take it you'll be wanting sour grapes as a side dish?

Calum of course you are quire right it was reserve...

2008-09-01T10:56:00.000+01:00

Calum of course you are quire right it was reserved. Many of what we were offereing in 2005 was related to UK wide streamlining (both of some of our rediculous laws and red tape in policing) and provisioning to enable more police time on the beats, this would have had an effect in Scotland as we would have been allocated the same resources to Scotland not wanting one part of the UK to lag behind.

Calum as I stated above 1000 additional recruits does not equate to 1000 additional officers as first promised, unless the SNP are about to knock the compulsory retirement age of officers back a few years and aren't letting on that is.

I think your just confirming D Thompson's point above with your response.

The 2005 election was a Westminster election - pol...

2008-08-30T23:38:00.000+01:00

The 2005 election was a Westminster election - police and justice are Holyrood matters.

Never mind that, however, the Lib Dems were in government in Scotland in 2005 - in a position to deliver 1,000 more police officers. Total failure.

The SNP will deliver 1,000 additional officers.

One slice or two sir?

Quite right Stephen. The SNP will twist the figure...

2008-08-30T13:10:00.000+01:00

Quite right Stephen. The SNP will twist the figure and wording in whatever way it suits them.

The Scottish Police Federation have it slightly differently also. Not in terms of wording - they have it down as the Budget providing for the recruitment of an extra 1000 police officers - but in terms of the yearly increase in recruitment. Not a huge deal, but it does point to a lack of conviction when any of these figures are announced.

When the SNP announced 1000 more officers, Scotland expected an extra, on top of what we already have, 1000 officers. If the SNP intend on recruiting 1000 officers and having 900 retire, it's absolutely not what Scotland asked for.