My Rollercoaster Year

Those of you who know me ought to be aware that I love a big, fast rollercoasters. I really need to go back to the States and experience some of the new rides since last I was there (1996). However, this year has certainly been one hell of a rollercoaster ride with its highs and lows, switchbacks and unexpected turns.

This time last year I was sitting in Bathgate, looking forward to kick starting the local Lib Dems into the General Election year, then onwards to the Scottish Elections and the council elections beyond. The same old routine as laid out by the election cycles. Or so I thought.

Sure enough the year started out in just that manner. On St. Patrick's Night I was selected as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) again for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, with Charles Dundas once again my colleague in the other seat for the local party, Livingston. In the end I came third once more, was agent to Kieran Leach in neighbouring Falkirk (in which campaign I met some new friends). But I was very disappointed on the night that Kevin Lang in Edinburgh North and Leith and Fred MacIntosh in Edinburgh South had done exactly what the party thought was required to win only to no get elected as MPs.

Well eight days after the General Election I had my CV in to start the selection process for the Edinburgh Central seat  for the Scottish elections next May. So there wasn't any real rest between the elections cycles as I started to plot and plan just what I would have to do, first for the seat and then for the list. In the end after another solid 2/3 months of planning and canvassing local members it wasn't to be, but Alex Cole Hamilton had been selected.

So as I started to work for Alex and was settling down to work on the list selection process, which overlapped with the end of Edinburgh Central, I was brought to a sudden halt. Somehow in all the activity of the previous months I had managed to not notice that certain bills were not being paid, kind of major expensive ones. I tried to get finance from the bank but that wasn't happening. I then felt that the only way to deal with this was to return to Northern Ireland and proposed to work that I could continue to work for them from here. With time running out and me having a letter of notice to hand over if there was no decision on that day I was finally given the go ahead to be a home-worker.

So with that then came the task of packing up 9 years accumulated stuff and with the help of Michael completed Operation Evacuate at the end of August. I'd a week to settle in before I started work, but I was also looking for something a little more permanent over here because work, as close friends can attest, was getting me depressed in a major way, even before I moved over.

There then came an email from a friend saying "Have you seen this job?", I applied and found myself up against Michael for what were probably the most angst ridden two weeks in either of our lives. Until I finally was told the position was mine within an hour of a Nationwide conference call for Yes to Fairer Votes as the Northern Ireland Organiser. I just had time to talk to Michael before that call, and he has been a great help and support from that time on.

Since I've got back I hadn't been completely politically inactive, along with Michael we as local Liberal Democrats wrote a couple of responses to consultations from government departments. I've also been involved in the LGBT consultative forum, help establish Delga within the local party, been back across for Scottish conference. As well as attending two party conferences and meeting with others as part of the Yes to Fairer Votes drive.

This year I attended three Pride Parades Edinburgh, Glasgow and Foyle. Somehow I found the time and a person to fall in love with, though sadly that didn't go as I'd hoped. I've also been elected unto my new local party's executive committee as well as keeping up my record of being a conference rep, Sheffield and Birmingham here I come.

So what does 2011 hold?

For a start there is an referendum on May 5th, not the campaigning I expected to be taking up every waking and quite a few of the sleeping moments of my life. But there you are I'm working towards that and looking forward to getting back into the phonebank as people carry on talking to people across Northern Ireland about fairer votes.

After May, who knows. I have no idea what comes next.

Last year I felt that I'd love to find someone I could really connect with that didn't abhor the time I spent with politics and maybe settle down. Seeing as how intermittent my love life has been in the last twelve months it is almost like I am saving myself for that person. Maybe I might get lucky this year and find what I'm looking for in that department. My love life has been a bit of a roller coaster in recent years maybe I just want it to be a gentle punt down life's river from here on. But then knowing the passion I put into things maybe not.

After May I'll be looking for a new job. No idea that that will actually be yet, have an idea what I'd like it to be just need to see if there are openings that I can fill, it may mean a move once more, it may mean staying right here, I just don't know and nobody is able to tell me the answer to that right now. So it looks like 2011 might be another roller coaster year as well.

Stay tuned I'll return to blogging full time in May.

Scottish Tories "for nothing if you don't have freedom"*

What now for the Scottish Tories?

Yesterday they David McLetchie took a stance which flew in the face of common sense or fairness, when they opposed the right for a suspect to have a lawyer present for the first six hours while the police were able to question. The Tories are probably opposing the ruling solely on the grounds that it comes from a decision taken in the European Court for Human Rights in 2008. The fact that there are some sensible decisions taken in Europe seems to be a point that deludes them. Hopefully the Scottish people will remember how inhuman the Scottish Tories are on the subjects of rights for the citizens next May.

The preamble to the Liberal Democrats constitution says that "no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity" and the presence of the six hour rule could well have let to some innocents being imprisoned due to these. So I suspect that this ruling may cause ructions in Westminster with the Tories trying to limit or remove the European Convention on Human Rights from UK law and the rulings of the European Court, even where they are beneficial, being countermanded. Also unlike the Tories the Liberal Democrats believe "our responsibility for justice and liberty cannot be confined by national boundaries"[from the preamble]

I trust that the Lib Dems in Westminster, having secured our Freedom Bill in the coalition agreement will remember that the party exists "to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community"[from the preamble].

The Scottish Tories may moan "but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM"**.

Or else we'll set the Comptroller of HM Household (pictured) on them.

* Yeah a little bit of Braveheart in the title.
** And a little bit more Braveheart at the end.

Speech to Conference - Intercity Express Programme

On Saturday I made a speech to Scottish Liberal Democrat conference on the issue of the Intercity Express Programme. I was especially speaking on lines 11-13 of the motion.

1 Conference notes that that the UK Government is due to take a decision on whether to
2 proceed with the Intercity Express Programme, intended to provide 882 new carriages
3 for a series of intercity routes, following the completion of the comprehensive spending
4 review in October 2010.

5 Conference welcomes the environmental, social and economic benefits of an efficient
6 and accessible public transport service, and supports the long-term electrification of the
7 railways as part of a modern rail network.

8 Conference recognises the importance of cross-border transport links between England
9 and Scotland and that direct rail services connecting London to the north and the north
10 east of Scotland bring direct economic benefit to these regions.

11 Conference is therefore concerned at the report of the Review of the Intercity Express
12 Programme by Sir Andrew Foster which suggests that long distance routes to Inverness
13 and Aberdeen could be served by connecting trains rather than through-services.

14 Conference believes that the loss of the through-service from London to Aberdeen and
15 Inverness would be a significant deterrent to train travel for these regions and would
16 represent a serious reduction in the quality of cross-border services, with a resultant
17 negative impact on Scottish business competitiveness.

18 Conference therefore calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to protect the
19 economic value of the north and north east regions of Scotland by maintaining direct rail
20 services between London and Aberdeen and Inverness and to reject any other
21 diminution of cross-border public transport services between England and Scotland.

I started by saying that although through the years I had always addressed conference as a Northern Irish man this was the first time I have addressed them as a member of the Northern Irish party. It was as a result that travelling from Northern Ireland and many long cross country trips that I had learnt one important issue about connecting services, they do not always connect you to you final destination on the same day you started out.

A previous speaker had already pointed out the access issues and this is true for all passengers. This is true for all passengers but can affect those that are elderly and infirm the most. If you add in a rail replacement service at the same time as a non-though train this can slowly lead people to not want to let the train take the strain.

As I concluded I pointed out that in 2003 we stood to increase the rail service in Scotland including the Bathgate to Airdrie extension which means so much to the people of West Lothian. We should similarly be working to increase provision not reduce it, therefore I urged conference to accept the motion.

Nicol Stephen Stepping Down from Holyrood

The one headline for literature I always had up my sleeve following the election of the Aberdeen South MSP to be Scottish Lib Dem leader was:

Stephen Backs Stephen

Nicol Stephen was the person I had backed in that particular leadership election to replace Jim Wallace in 2005. He was young, vibrant, environmentally aware and prepared I thought to lead our party in Scotland for a long time.

In the end it proved to be only for 3 years before pressures, and we all assume outside pressures, led to his stepping down from his role of leadership. That I felt was a shame and as I blogged at the time was a great regret. He had done a lot to move the party on in those far too few short years and I do regret somehow losing that internal momentum a little when he chose to step down, just at the kick off of the Glasgow East by election.

During the 2005 by election in Livingston when I was missing my usual birthday politics at conference with birthday politics on the doorstep he ended up being present at what ended up being dinned on my Birthday. Which is one of those moments that occasionally makes campaigning worthwhile.

However, as he is stepping down next May I wish him, Caris and the four children all the best as they will see more of their father and husband now and he more of them. Also after 12 years as their MSP I hope that the people of Aberdeen South have an equally competent Liberal Democrat MSP after the elections in May to take their interests forward.

It's Official and the Chair May Be Jealous #NILD

As with the regularity of Federal Conference coming around in September so does the my new membership card turn up. It's usually waiting for me when I return, so there was no surprise that it turned up today.

As you can see the local party name has been changed to Northern Ireland, so its now official my move.

But to my shock the membership card is a Scottish party membership card (see the underlined) not an English one, which the party is aligned to. Just don't tell the local party chair, or should I as a Scottish member call him convener, he might just get a little jealous of this novelty.

Scottish Success in the Top 75

Earlier this evening Total Politics announced the top 75 Liberal Democrat blogs from a poll of over 2,200 blog readers. There was some good news for the Scottish Blogosphere.

First up the top woman is one of the Scots as Caron is at number 3. Little did I know when she first asked me 'How do I start a blog?' that she would climb to this height, only Lib Dem Voice and Mark Reckons.

She is not alone in the top ten this year. As with Scottish list I take her number 7 and Andrew Reeves is number 10 a climb of 9. Our top Councillor Fraser Macpherson from Dundee also in the top 20 at 18 up 13 luckily for him. So that is 20% of the people who can use this button are Scots.

Elsewhere however there are other Scots. Our general election candidate for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock James Taylor with his Liberal Thought blog is the one I'm envious of with his number 42 spot a new entry. He was omitted off the Scottish list but should have been another in the Scottish top 50. Liberal Youth Scotland climb 3 to 54, Edinburgh Cllr Paul Edie enters in the 69 position*, while Montrose Cllr David May is at 72, Aberdeen Cllr Ian Yuill is at 73 and former Angus candidate candidate Sanjay Samani brings up the rear at number 75.

That is ten of the top 75 hailing from north of the border. A very real sound of gunfire from up here, a real strengthening from 5 years ago when I was one of the few Scottish voices in the Lib Dem blogosphere.

Although I've also just heard that Mícheál has just submitted his blog to Ryan at Lib Dem blogs, so seeing as he's spurred on by the friendly competition I may not be the top Lib Dem blogger in Northern Ireland this time next year, just as for the last two years I haven't been top in West Lothian despite being second in Scotland.

But thank you for everyone who voted for me and all the other bloggers on this list. I now also know that if I'd been elected I would now be in the top 10 MPs blogs as well, ho hum. Of course last year I came 11th, 11th and then 101st overall. With two 7ths under my belt this year wouldn't it be strange if I was 77th overall.

* You didn't think I'd avoid double entendre there did you?

Is Group Blogging the New Black?

I was having a little joust with James Mackenzie (aka Two Doctors) on Twitter last night, I mockingly said that I wasn't going to say the nice stuff I was planning to say about his, Jeff and Malc's new venture Better Nation.

I jest of course because I have enough in common with all three of them to make our disagreements just that, a disagreement, a point of contention and not full blown out warfare. It'll be interesting to see how their group dynamic develops as co-editors having seen them together over the odd pints. It would be a shame to lose any of the three of them from blogging and that was the danger that Malc and James were facing over recent months so this new impetus may be the boost to revitalise their creative juices.

Of course I'm also embarking on a new collaborative project, not as James thought with Caron and Andrew as he suggested; like Freedom Central is for the Welsh Lib Dems but for Scotland. No instead I'm getting together with Mícheál setting up the Lib Dems in Northern Ireland blog.

Not of course there hasn't been talk of setting up a Scottish equivalent of Freedom Central. Stephen Tall editor of Lib Dem Voice talked to me about it at conference last year and I talked to Alison Goldsworthy about it there too. So why haven't we got around to it in Scotland?

I think firstly and the three of us have talked about it at times. We are very strong as individual bloggers. By that we are all prolific, hard hitting and bring a personal slant to the issues even if all three of us post on the same subject you will get three very unique perspectives. Secondly such a tool would be to encourage the other Scottish Lib Dem Bloggers. With the notable exception of Fraser Macpherson one of the top 10 Councillor bloggers in the UK, that is in a constant state of embryonic flux. There are some good ones out there like James Taylor, and Paul Edie, but the youngsters Ruaraidh, Callum and Kieran have all given up.

Whereas with Mícheál and me there is a challenge to highlight the Lib Dem brand over here. With a wealth of experience gained in different areas and fields. There is also the obvious media face and the backroom organiser between the two of us. Yes the deal has been struck that if/when I stand in Northern Ireland we know who the agent will be. There are two different styles yet similarly to with Caron and Andrew compatible. I think the boost of my returning has got Mícheál's creative juices running which I hope Better Nation will also do for Malc and James. We'll see how both those projects pan out

As for the Scottish Lib Dem collaboration it remains loose Alliance, with interlinkage and retweeting of stories. Plus, and this is a little secret, occasionally feeding one of the others, in the big three, a story because they would do it more justice because of the way they write.

I'm In Seventh Heaven

It is indeed that time of year again. Total politics are currently in the middle of announcing the list of the Top Political Blogs for 2010.

Today it was the turn of one of the categories for which I am eligible that of the Top Scottish blog. For the past two years I have actually finished in eleventh place in Scotland on both occasions. This year however I am into the top ten at number 7, the spot held last year by my dear friend Caron, she has climbed to number 4. My spot for the last 2 years was so nearly taken by another Lib Dem Andrew Reeves is however only at number 12, journalist Alex Massie assumes the Stephen Glenn position.

Other Lib Dems in the list include Cllr Fraser Macpherson climbing 10 to 18 and Liberal Youth Scotland a new entry at 34. Another blog from Linlithgow and East Falkirk is that of Love & Garbage in at number 44.

Here is the top 10 political blogs in Scotland for 2010 (last year's position in brackets):

1 (1) Tom Harris MP
2 (3) Underdogs Bite Upwards
3 (2) SNP Tactical Voting
4 (7) Caron's Musings
5 (4) Mr Eugenides
6 Bright Green Scotland
7 (11) Stephen's Liberal Journal
8 (5) Two Doctors
9 Subrosa
10 (6) Malc in the Burgh

You can view the top 50 at the Total Politics site.

Of course heaven knows what nation/region list I'll qualify for next year.

It's Friday...so Edwin Morgan

It's not often I start your Friday with a static image but here you are.

Christ of St John of the Cross is the paiting by Salvidor Dali that inspired this poem by Edwin Morgan (which I cannot embed. It is an excuse to combine my favourite artist with The Scots Makar the national poet of Scotland who died last week.

He also wrote the poem read out by Liz Lochhead at the opening of the Scottish Parliament on 9 October 2004. Here it is:

Open the doors! Light of the day, shine in; light of the mind, shine out!

We have a building which is more than a building.
There is a commerce between inner and outer,
between brightness and shadow, between the world and those who think about the world.

Is it not a mystery? The parts cohere, they come together
like petals of a flower, yet they also send their tongues
outward to feel and taste the teeming earth.
Did you want classic columns and predictable pediments? A
growl of old Gothic grandeur? A blissfully boring box?
Not here, no thanks! No icon, no IKEA, no iceberg, but
curves and caverns, nooks and niches, huddles and
heavens syncopations and surprises. Leave symmetry to
the cemetery.
But bring together slate and stainless steel, black granite
and grey granite, seasoned oak and sycamore, concrete
blond and smooth as silk – the mix is almost alive – it
breathes and beckons – imperial marble it is not!

Come down the Mile, into the heart of the city, past the kirk
of St Giles and the closes and wynds of the noted ghosts of
history who drank their claret and fell down the steep
tenements stairs into the arms of link-boys but who wrote
and talked the starry Enlightenment of their days –
And before them the auld makars who tickled a Scottish king’s
ear with melody and ribaldry and frank advice –
And when you are there, down there, in the midst of things,
not set upon an hill with your nose in the air,
This is where you know your parliament should be
And this is where it is, just here.

What do the people want of the place? They want it to be
filled with thinking persons as open and adventurous as its
architecture.
A nest of fearties is what they do not want.
A symposium of procrastinators is what they do not want.
A phalanx of forelock-tuggers is what they do not want.
And perhaps above all the droopy mantra of ‘it wizny me’ is
what they do not want.
Dear friends, dear lawgivers, dear parliamentarians, you are
picking up a thread of pride and self-esteem that has been
almost but not quite, oh no not quite, not ever broken or
forgotten.
When you convene you will be reconvening, with a sense of not
wholly the power, not yet wholly the power, but a good
sense of what was once in the honour of your grasp.
All right. Forget, or don’t forget, the past. Trumpets and
robes are fine, but in the present and the future you will
need something more.
What is it? We, the people, cannot tell you yet, but you will know about it when we do tell you.
We give you our consent to govern, don’t pocket it and ride away.
We give you our deepest dearest wish to govern well, don’t say we
have no mandate to be so bold.
We give you this great building, don’t let your work and hope be other than great when you enter and begin.
So now begin. Open the doors and begin.

So not my usual all singing all dancing Friday mix but as someone who sought to get selected for the seat that houses the building enshrined in the above a poignant one.

Blogging May be Light Over the Weekend

Hopefully right about now I'm taking off from Edinburgh Airport bound for Belfast, although this evening I will be sleeping in my bed in Bathgate again. Yes today is the first day of the big move.


Though as Andrew Reeves has had in his highlighted posts on his blog since I made the announcement last weekend is it "A sad day for Scottish Lib Dems and Scottish Blogging"?

It is somewhat strange to be heading back. I've spent over 17 years including the last nine years and four months firmly ensconced in West Lothian. I'm a fully paid up NIPPLE* yet I'm heading back.

I don't feel like I really belong in Northern Ireland so much anymore, I've only spent 5 years since my A'levels actually living there. What is more strange is that the room that I will be setting up to work from home in was the room that I sat in to revise for those same A'levels 22 years ago. I will however, be sleeping in the room next door. So yeah I'll not be able to ad hoc pop into Clifton Terrace to hand in my various forms, ballot papers, or to rescue Kieran Leach for a drink.

Yes there is family and friends to catch up with both from before and through the joys of the internet ones I didn't even know 9 years ago. There are some good friends like Caron, Andrew and many others who I've got to know over the past nine years who will be a gapping hole, as I suspect I may be for them, over the time I'll be away. Also there are several (tens of) thousand leaflets that probably had my name on for delivery in the 2011 Holyrood campaign. Plus a few thousand doors that I'll not be knocking on. So in a sense Andrew is right for the Scottish Lib Dems.

My blogging may well take on a different focus being away from the Scottish political buzz day in day out. Actually getting to see BBC Northern Ireland's Hearts and Minds on a Thursday night rather than Sunday morning will seem strange again, but may well act as a catalyst.

Two things my blogging will still be is liberal and eclectic. It will still focus largely on politics both nationally, locally and undoubtedly also on Scottish matters (hard to totally take me totally out of that pond). There will be my usual diversions unto other subject matter whenever I feel like it too. One thing that somebody has commented on since the General Election was over and again once I was no longer contesting Edinburgh Central or the Lothian List was that there has been a little more freedom in my posting again. There maybe isn't that fear of stepping too far off party message for fear of voters (or more likely the press) reaction.

So we shall see. I think I've over the last 12 months had a pretty strong year of blogging, obviously the General Election and subsequently seeking selection meant the volume at time petered off. There has been some hard hitting posts where I haven't spared the punches aimed in all sorts of directions. I'll keep them coming don't worry.

Although having said that blogging will be light I have a few things scheduled.

* Northern Irish Professional Person Living Elsewhere.

Quote of the Day: Cardinal Keith O'Brien

I'll wait while regular readers are picking their jaws up off their keyboards as have in fact just awarded the irregularly presented Quote of the Day on this blog to the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. For this:

"In many states - more than half - they kill the perpetrators of horrible crimes, by lethal injection or even firing squad - I say that is a culture of vengeance.

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - that is not our culture in Scotland and I would like to think that the US government, and these states that do still have capital punishment, would learn something from us."

It is in response to the USA attitude to the release of the Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. It is quite a courageous stance for a Church leader to remind the nation that has "In God We Trust" on its currency to remember the teaching of the Sermon of the Mount and pull them out of the Old Testament vengeful tendency. So his is to applauded for his stance and his backing of the stance not to sent Parliamentarians from the UK or Scotland to stand before a US committee he added:

"The Scottish government has made the decision and the Scottish government is answerable to the Scottish people - not the US government or US citizens.

"Everyone acted according to Scots law in releasing Megrahi on compassionate grounds, having taken medical advice.

"I still think they did the right thing, although the man is still alive.

"We shouldn't be crawling out to America, or having them come here and questioning us on our own territory."

SEXY MAC 2010^

^Scottish Edinburgh 10 Year Meet And Curry

Ten years ago (on Thursday*) the inaugural H2G2 (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy) Scottish Researchers Group meet up happened. We met under the Scott Monument although I was a little late having come the whole way from Northern Ireland that morning to be there.



A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. SRG members have fallen in love with each other, fallen out of love, there have been weddings, handknottings and bairns. However, we at least are re-enacting that first contact by meeting in the same place, under the Scott Monument with at least five of the original attendees towels in hand.

From then only two things will be the same as from that first day. A volatile, clear liquid will be partaken in various forms and a log, the tradition first started on a scrap of paper in that first meeting will be kept, added to by anyone and later be deciphered. As tradition dictates if it is in the log IT HAPPENED.

However, there will also be a hashtag and I may be taking live into my hands by putting the live feed up here.



* Though then it was a Saturday.

Senate Hearing From the International Outlaws of the World,,,

...OR why they are right to refuse...

...OR how America still thinks the West must be won


So Kenny MacAskill and Jack Straw have both said no to the US Senate enquiry on Megrahi. Tony Blair had apparently been invited and indeed his airfare would have been covered, although the Senate are saying this was a draft letter which had been leaked to the press.

However, when you look at the USA's record on implementing International Laws the fact that they are looking to have a hearing into a criminal tried under Scottish Law and released under Scottish jurisdiction on compassionate grounds show how the USA just do not get it. Here is a rundown on some of the human rights treaties that the USA has either not signed or ratified and the company they keep.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted 1979 USA has yet to ratify it although they have signing it in 1980. They team up with Iran, Nauru, Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga.

Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC) 1989 USA singed it in 1995 but it has yet to be presented to the Senate for approval. Only Somalia lines up as a fellow none participant.

Convention Against Enforced Disappearance 2006. Only 81 signatories (16 NATO allies) thus far and not in force but USA have not taken any action.

Mine Ban Treaty 1996. Again no action at all from the USA along with China, Russia and 34 other nations.

Convention on Cluster Weapons 2008. Signed by the majority of NAO nations and many other US Allies. But only half the 30 ratifications needed to trigger the convention. Of course the USA are not in the 98 signatories.

Tellingly The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) 2006 enforced in 20088 with 140 signatories. You know the score, no action from the USA.

Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) 2002 enforced since 2006. Signatories include include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico. But not the USA.

So before the USA start to probe into another nations legal system and release decisions maybe they should look at their own record on international issue. They have a poor record in signing up to or implementing international actions. so what right do they have to want to interfere. I personally feel that MacAskill, Straw, Blair et al are quite correct in refusung to turn up at the pleasure of the international outlaws of our world. If the USA is not going to support the rights of others as many other states have they have no right to interfere in the humanity of others.

They May Take Our Lives, But Never our...ANDY!!

So David Cameron lowered the flag of St. George over Downing Street on Monday as the English football team headed home after failing to end 44 years of hurt.

But now the tabloids are trying to persuade the English football faithful that Dunblane born Andy is actually English. Why? Because his maternal grandmother was both to a Berwick-Upon-Tweed solicitor and his York born wife.

So taking into consideration the dispute that the town to the north of the Tweed is actually Scottish and that it's designation has changed so often through history. That would leave Andy's mum Judy's mother, Eileen Edney being the offspring of indisputably English* Joyce Anderson.

So lets apply laws that England football fans and FIFA understand: so that rules out offside and what constitutes a valid goal. To qualify to play for you nation you have to have been born or have one of your parents or grandparents born in that country. For Andy Murray that is seven counts of Scotland.

Guess Andy isn't an English Rose after all, but that doesn't stop the whole of the UK supporting him, so he can be a thorn in Rafa Nadal's Championship hopes this afternoon.

Also if Downing Street can take down the English flag after a team goes out in the last 16 of a major tournament why aren't they raising the Saltire in honour of a Brit from another part of the United Kingdom who is two games further on and looking to get to the final ending either 72 or 74 years of hurt since we had a home grow finalist (Bunny Austin '1938) or winner (Fred Perry 1936).

* Hang on isn't York a Viking kingdom? Especially with a name like Anderson?

Feeling Blue and Rudderless Under the Goldie Tide

"There is no-one in charge. We need to have someone who is in charge of the Conservative party in Scotland, preferably elected by the membership.

"The membership and the constituencies have been allowed to atrophy. The branches have disappeared. There's no real link between the voluntary side of the party and the MSPs."

So said former conservative Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth yesterday, which won't be good news for Annabel Goldie with less than a year until the Scottish elections. Although some party insiders said it was the "memory of Lord Forsyth in government" that was affecting Tory performance at elections in Scotland.

But there were questions about a name change in Scotland (Scottish Reform anyone), a separation from the party in England and a clear out of the leadership. Goldie as leader in Holyrood, David McLetchie (the former leader) as campaign director and Andrew Fulton as Chairman.

Paul McBride QC echoed the rudderless message when he said:

"The problem was that we spent large amounts of money but there was no clear leader who had powers to hire and fire, make strategic decisions and have a say on who stood as candidates.

"We had people working for us having to report to three or four different people and that was unacceptable."

I'll agree there did appear to be a large amount of money spent even out here in Linlithgow and East Falkirk. I have to say that all that money didn't tell me anything about the Tory's policies.

There was also disquiet about some of the older member of their Holyrood team Mary Scanlon, 60, Nanette Milne 68, Ted Brocklebank, 67 and Sir Jamie McGrigor, 60 who have been elected on the list not for a constituency. Some are saying they should be removed from the party list for next year and others are calling for a two strikes and you're out policy.

Sounds like disarray in the Scottish part of a party that is governing from Westminster and doesn't sound like a winning formula for anywhere in just over 11 months time.

Scotland Capable of 700% Renewables

There is a report which shows that Scotland is capable in the next 40 years of providing 7 times the energy requirements it needs through renewable energy.

In the report from the Offshore Valuation Group that by harnessing 20,000 offshore wind, wave and tidal devices would acheive this. There would be an export of surplus energy to the rest of the UK or Europe and 50,000 jobs created.

Of course such benefits need investment as much as £4bn a year just in Scotland.

Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said:

"There has never been a clearer and more dramatic picture of the scale of the renewable resources around our seas and coasts.

"Not only does this offer a huge potential cut in carbon emissions, this is the biggest single economic opportunity for Scotland in coming years."

We can with the combination of renewables on offer be a fully renewable powered nation with reliable supply by 2050, as the Liberal Democrat manifesto promised. It is reckoned that 11,400 giant offshore wind turbines, about 4,000 wave machines and 5,000 tidal generation devices would deliver this potential.

Robert Tannahill

On this day 200 years ago the body of Robert Tannahill was found in a culvert in Paisley, he had taken his own life. Like another famous Robert he was a poet and indeed was in the eyes of some comparable to Scotland's bard.

Here is one of his poems.

Eild

The rough hail rattles thro' the trees.
The sullen lift low'rs gloomy gray,
The trav'ller sees the swelling storm,
And seeks the alehouse by the way.

But, waes me! for yon widowed wretch,
Borne doun wi years an heavy care;
Her sapless fingers scarce can nip
The wither'd twigs tae beet her fire.

Thus youth and vigour fends itsel;
Its help, reciprocal, is sure,
While dowless Eild, in poortith cauld,
Is lanely left tae stan the stoure.

SNP Hypocricy Over Being a Voice About Fuel Prices

I have been nice about it, I have told him on at least two occasions that he is wrong to admit that his is the only party that is saying anyhing about it. However, this evening I notice that the SNP candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, Tam Smith has again said on his blog:

"The failure of the London parties to act on fuel prices shows how little they understand of the key issues across Scotland.

"In Scotland, the SNP is the clear alternative to the Westminster machine and the only party with a real alternative that will prevent massive fuel hikes."

It wouldn't be too bad if the last time I raised the issue with him was less than 10 hours ago. If you actually look at page 80 of the Liberal Democrat manifesto you will find the following.

• Introduce a rural fuel discount scheme which will allow a reduced rate of fuel duty to be paid in remote rural areas, as is allowed under EU law.

Now I don't know about you but that is doing something. George Lyon has been pursuing it in Europe and Alistair Carmichael actually secured a deabte on the issue of rural fuel prices on the 20 February this year.

In light of the fact that every single SNP politician seems to be appearing filling up a car at the moment. Claiming that they want a strong voice of local champions. But there wasn't a peep from any of the six* indeed not one of them even bothered to turn up to discuss an issue on which they appear to be pegging their campaign.

If we can't expect the SNP to speak up for their pet subjects in Westminister, what is the point of sending even more of them there?

* Salmond not included.

We Are the Champions

No I'm not getting carried away with the opinion polls that are making the most exciting reading for this Liberal Democrat since he was old enough to vote.

I took an afternoon off the campaign trail this afternoon to watch Livingston suceed in being the first team to win the Scottish Third Division title for a second time. Although it wasn't all plan sailing, despite being the dominant team we conceded a penalty for handball in the last minute. However, Roddy McKenzie, who could some of us doubt that our player with most appearances would fail, saved it to the mass relief of the majority of the 1,621 crowd.

So I feel a little Queen is in order.

Scottish Lib Dem Conference Review #sldconf

First up I apologise that blogging has been light this weekend. It has been a full couple of days between events in the conference halls, general election sessions on the fringe plus honing my speech for moving amendment one on the equal marriage debate this morning.

It was a very good weekend, the highlight of which was Nick Clegg's visit on Friday. Some of us had already met Nick before he got up to make his speech. He took to the stage just after Gordon Brown had finished giving his evidence to the Chilcot inquiry. The colliding of the two events saw more media that normal around a Scottish conference it was more in line with a Federal conference and even slightly more than a leaders speech there.

Readers will know that I been pencilled in to interview Nick afterwards, but the pressure of the press coverage and the need for him to get away that evening, meant I ended up getting Scottish leader Tavish Scott's reaction instead.

One shock on Friday was seeing local MP Michael Connarty whizzing into the hall knowing that Nick Clegg was also in the building. Local Labour and indeed Lib Dems members need not panic. The former because they may think they have to seek a new PPC, the later as they are in the final stages of candidate selection may have thought they had picked up an incumbent. In a conversation I had with him later he was merely attending a recording of Brain Taylor's Big Debate for Radio Scotland. Michael did assure me he is not going to join the number of Labour MPs who are leaving the commons though, at least not voluntarily leaving us Lib Dems to unseat him.

There were as always a number of policy motions past. Some such as 'A new fair society' and 'A fair start for all our children' were the Scotification of some of our Federal pledges that will be going forward into th General Election. Others such as 'Preventing the creation of a lost generation' and 'Farer fares' were Scottish answers to Scottish issues.

Preventing the creation of a lost generation called on a number of things that will help the young people in West Lothian and Falkirk at a time when unemployment in the young has never been higher. Part of was to increase significantly the number of college places available. Boosting skills development in sectors such as green industires, engineering and social care which will help provide sustainable growth in years to come. There is also a "90-day promise" to anyone under 24 claiming job seekers allowance to get they will have access to training, apprenticeships, work experience or speicialist suport. This is better than the 10 month guarantee that is currently available and shows the real need to get these people skilled up and ready to make that transition into work.

It is good news for both Oatridge and West Lothian Colleges as well as the many more across Scotland. It also shows the interconnectiveness of events and how the Liberal Democrats are looking toe solve many issues at the same time. Pulling our economy out of the recession, doing it in a sustainable, providing hope and a fair future for our young people by giving them skills that will be needed going forward for some time to come.

The 'Equal Marriage in Scotland' debate saw the Scottish Liberal Democrats agree to all the strands of the Equal Marriage Campaign and go beyond that. What the LYS motion, plus the amendments moved by myself and Derek Young now calls on the Scottish Government to do is:

• i Open both marriage and civil partnerships to both same-sex and mixed-sex couples.
• ii To allow approved religious and humanist celebrants to legally solemnise ans celebrate same-sex marriages and civil partnerships where they wish to do so.
• iii To allow those individual who wish to seek gender recognition or change their legally recognised gender to remain in their current marriage or civil partnership where both partners wish to do so.
• iv To establish a simple and straightforward process by which a existing civil partnership may be converted into a marriage, if the partners wish and if all other legal requirements of marriage are satisfied, without the need to dissolve the civil partnership.

I do have more detailed feedback on other aspects of conference. But as you may well imagine after a full weekend and not getting my own speaking commitment out of the way until 10am Sunday morning (AGAIN!) I am somewhat tired. Happy with the impact, prospects going forward and outcomes but absolutely knackered.