I know there are more and may add to this archive later.
13 March 2003
So, far from being unable to make tough decisions, the Liberal Democrats are now making decisions that may not just be a subject for coalition negotiation, but may go into the Labour Party manifesto. All this after the 40 improvements claimed by the First Minister, Jack McConnell, which are largely based on his coalition partners' manifesto pledges from the last election.
Now that he is talking about removing Skye bridge tolls, what other Liberal Democrat policies will his party adopt; free dental or eye check-ups maybe?
Who knows, maybe the Scottish Labour Party might even make a tough decision and call on the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, not to wage war on Iraq in its name; at least not without a second United Nations Security Council mandate that clearly warrants such action.
On Voting Reform
18 December 2002
With regard to the proposed amendment to the way MSPs are elected (your report 16 December) Brian Donahue MP is not used to the concept of power sharing, due to Labour's virtual monopoly in local government in the central belt.
Proportional representation can act as a check and balance on a party that would have almost dictatorial powers without it, so he is trying to devise ways to silence the voices of the voters in each electoral region.
Let's hope the change in the way MSPs are elected leads to a swift adoption of PR for local council elections.
19 May 2003
So far, the Labour objectors to proportional representation by the single trasferable vote system all appear to be singing from the same song sheet. They all seem to think that having multiple members wards is bd.
However, voters are not as stupid as some Labour members seem to assume; having more than one representative is something they will come to terms with in time. Knoing the names of three or four people who will represent you gives you an element of choice.
If Labour councillors are worried about losing their seats, I see that the independent renumeration committee is going to look into seferance and pension options. So they will be well looked after should they lose out.
8 December 2003
George Foulkes MP is proposing tw MSPs for each of hte new Westminster Constituencies (your report, 7 December) but this would only create a less proportional Scottish Parliament.
Any system of PR that involves two members is only slightly more proportional than first past the post. At a time when most people do not see the relevance of our parliament this can only further disenchant voters.
The Scottish Parliament is proposing the use of the Single Transferable Vote system in council elections. If Mr Foulkes wants to eradicate the anomoly of two tiers of MSPS - constituency members and those from the regional list - as well as different electoral boundaries for Westminster and Holyrood, surely a similar STV system is desirable. It would involve multi-member constituencies covering the area of two or three Westminster seats and would avoid introducing yet another system of voting.
Donald Gorrie MSP has proposed multi-member constituencies returning between four and seven members, each based on two or three of the new Westminster seats. Such an idea is worthy of serious consideration and would mean a far fairer systems that that which Mr Foulkes champions.
5 February 2004
I read that Paul Martin MSP thinks the Scottish electorate will never understand the single transferable vote system. I hope he is referring to the actual mechanism of counting the vote, which the average voter does not even need to understand, and he is implying that his fellow Scots are incapabe of numbering their preferences 1,2,3, etc.
If he needs assurances that STV will work for his Glasgow Springburn constituencts he need only look at Northern Ireland. There all votes, except for Westminster elections, are by STV with no adverse effects and it consistantly has one of the highest voter turnouts in the whole of the United Kingdom.
At the same time as MSPs are trying to implement greater democracy in local government and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is calling for democratic elections in Iraq, MPs on the Commons committee for Scottish affairs are attempting to largely remove proportionality from Holyrood. Two first-past-the-post constituency members plus a mere 11 list MSPs from a "national" list is a shameful retreat and a dilution of the democracy we currently enjoy.
There are other proposals out there that allow for conterminous boundaries for Westminster and Holyrood and aso do away with two tiers of representation and the confusing two ballot paper voting system.
What consideration, if any, are the Labour and Conservative parties giving to these plans? Or are they determined to maintain sizeable majorities from the minority of the popular vote?
On Voter Apathy
29 January 2003
One reason why young people may be more apathetic about voting is that more of our wolrd now appears to have the right to vote and there is less of a struggle (or at least coverage of the struggle) to have a free vote.
I turned 18 just after the 1987 General Election, so had to wait until I was in my twenties to use my first vote. Young people of that generation are now in their thirties and saw a lot of things going on which shaped their views. Many were activ in CND, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, etc.
Having worked with young people since that time, I can confirm that they are less politically active, because they appear to have lost a sense that they can make a difference.
Lowering the age of voting to sixteen may not be the full answer. Things can only be resolved by politicians listening to their constituents, especially those that do not use their right to vote.
On ID cards
17 October 2003
There is dissatisfaction among many of the government's own backbenchers over the introduction of idendity cards. So, the support cannot even be found among party members, and there is not the overwhelming support in the country as a whole, where dissent has been voiced regularly.
13 November 2003
So David Blunkett [then Home Secretary] has suspended the ID card until 2013. Not only does this go against the cause of liberty for all, but it is also proving to be a stealthy poll tax.
To accomadate the as yet unlegislated-for ID card, we shall be paying 92 per cent more for renewing our drivers licences and 74 per cent more for our passports, so our government can gather our fingerprint and retinal information. This does not account for the fact that we are going to ahve to pay again for this compulsary card.
If it is such a necessity, why should citizens be penalised so heavily financially for its implementation? Why is it not provided free?
Mr Blunkett's cabinet colleagues are right to err on the side of caution. But they should demand that it is not merely postponed but consigned to the bin as a non-workable idea.
On the EU Constitution
26 November 2003
Far from being a "friend of Europe", and leading from within, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, continue their isolationist, pro-American approach to the world and Britain's affairs.
While I admit there are items in the draft European constitution which need amending, this should be done at the intergovernmental conference. Instead of using our place in Europe to effect the appropriate changes, the government is taking a Thatcherite position to veto the constitution outright.
On Monday, Mr Brown claimed that Brussels red-tape is holding back business. Yet the government's reticence over joining the Euro has resulted in Motorola and NEC closing their West Lothian factories while maintaining plants elsewhere in the Eurozone countries. Who is really holding business back? How many other Scottish and British industries will have to suffer?
He aslo urged the European Union to develop a strong economic partnership with the United States. This would be a great deal easier no doubt if the Bush administration was not imposing steel tarriffs and encouraging its own companies to work at home, not overseas.
He says Europe which works together to embrace globalisation, which the United States routinely does not. When is No. 10 going to go the whole distance, from possible veto of the EU constitution and sign up for the American one instead?
On NHS Cuts
9 November 2004
Press reports that St. John's Hospital, Livingston, might lose its maternity unit, and possibly related services, due to an inability to fill eight positions, shows the continued disregard or mismanagement Lothian Health Board is exercising to those outwith Edinburgh.
At recent public meetings across West Lothian the concensus of opinioin was that there must be no further cuts in provision of service. The news of this potential further loss to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary comes after Eddie Egan, the West Lothian convenor of Unision, tried to persuade residetns that we must accept the loss of trauma orthapaedics, emergency and complex/major surgery or else other services would be lost. It is clear that the health board is making promises to health employees that it may be incapable fo keeping.
West Lothian residents live in the fastest growing community in Scotland, yet face seeing their hospital provision cut further due to the expense faced in funding the ERI. There must be no further reduction in services. We seek a restoration of the services that have been cut, and a plan for future increase of provision to meet the needs of this expanding community.
On Edinburgh Road Tolls
24 January 2005
In response to Sandy Smith (Letters, 21 January), as a West Lothian resident who commutes by bus, I suspect his figures for London and Edinburgh are more or less corrst. However, on current performance, I don't think our public transport will be able to take the strain if tolls do come into being - at least not by the date proposed by the City of Edinburgh Council.
27 January 2005
The suggestion in Trevor Davies's letter on how Edinburgers can avoid paying now tell us that he admits it really is a way to fleece money from non-Edinburghers, while Edinburgh drivers will skirt the inner cordon increasing traffic congestion, pollution and danger on suburban streets.
The money will be raised from city employees who cannot afford or choose not to live in the city. As it cannot go to improving public transport outwith Edinburgh, those paying will not reap any benefit until they have already paid thier daily £2 entry fee.
Without great improvements in public transport into Edinburgh there will be no cut in congestion.
