Thursday, January 31, 2008

Wendy Alexander MUCH better from Sri Lanka

Actually she’s not and that’s the point. Am sitting in my office in Sri Lanka, my boss is waiting to go but I can’t leave till I’ve finished watching First Minister’s Questions. And one of the things I’ve noticed is that distance is not improving Ms Alexander. I realise it’s me who’s far away, not her but I thought maybe my natural prejudice would fade with distance and enable me to see that she’s not doing as badly as we think. I was wrong.

That’s all I wanted to say - oh and also, my other blog which I notice my Indy”Pals” have not been plugging is here. Ciao for now!

IndyGal

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal at 12:27:59 | Permalink | No Comments »

Friday, January 11, 2008

George Foulkes - is this the most ignorant man in Scotland?

My mum, my aunt and a couple of friends came into the Scottish Parliament yesterday for a tour. They loved their visit but they were shocked at the behaviour of some of the politicians at First Minister’s Questions. And the worst indication that the behaviour was truly bad was that I, too, was shocked. How many times have I been at FMQ’s? Countless. But I’ve never seen such appalling behaviour in my life. Nobody minds a bit of barracking and good heckling is always fun but this was just rude. Initially it was the Labour lot - but once Nicol Stephen asked his first question the Lib Dems were just as bad. It was impossible to hear any of the answers Alex Salmond was giving and who knows what the Presiding Officer was doing but his pleas for order fell on deaf ears.

The worst was George Foulkes though - he is one ignorant man. Anyone who reads this knows that I am normally fairly diplomatic and it’s not often I get angry but Mr Foulkes is nothing short of an ignoramus. He talked in a big loud voice throughout the proceedings, made no attempt to listen, no attempt to keep his voice down. It’s all because he deeply resents having to serve in the Scottish Parliament. He never wanted to get elected in the first place and standing as a list only MSP, under normal circumstances (where everyone votes Labour regardless of what they do), he wouldn’t have. Lord George had hoped to sleep and quaff away his retirement in that den of nothingness that is the House of Lords. Well tough luck, if you don’t like it, resign but if you’re staying, learn some manners.

As an aside, Lord George may be the rudest man in the parliament but Frank McAveety has to be the daftest (I’m being kind). He was sat behind George who at one point when Alex Salmond was speaking said in his big loud voice “he’s saying that without even a hint of irony you know”. And Frank thinks to himself “that’s a good word” and shouts out at the First Minister “aye, irony”! Clearly not the brightest spark as was evidenced later in the day when he nearly forgot he’d asked for a point of order and the Presiding Officer practically had to send out a search party for him. Yes, I’m going to miss all this …

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal at 22:10:43 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Thursday, May 31, 2007

First Minister’s First First Minister’s Questions

I watched it online today and was gripped. My colleague Cathie asked was I watching a comedy, I was tee heeing so much. Not that it was outrageously funny but watching Alex Salmond did remind me of how entertaining a public speaker he can be. When Jack McConnell asked him one of the traditional openers “when will the cabinet next meet?” Alex thanked him for not asking the other usual “when did you last meet the Prime Minister?”! And Annabel Goldie who the entire country loves (despite the fact she’s a Tory), was her usual witty self when she accepted that it “takes two to tango” and described Alex’s “dancing partner” (ie Tony Blair) as “nothing if not coquettish”. Funnies aside, it’s a disgrace that neither TB nor GB (that’s the chancellor, not the entire state) have bothered to pick up the phone to acknowledge Alex as FM. It’s an insult not just to him but to the entire country. If TB can find time for Colonel Gadaffi, he can find 2 minutes to phone the FM of Scotland.
Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal at 16:00:27 | Permalink | No Comments »