Bottom of the Barrel
The Scottish Labour Party has two places on the Simith Commission which is looking at the whole question of 'home rule', Devo Max and more powers for the Scottish Parliament.
Now you would think that faced with such a challenge Labour would field some of its 'big hitters' to represent the party's interests in what are bound to be crucial negotiations in the run up to the May 2015 general election.
Now you would think that faced with such a challenge Labour would field some of its 'big hitters' to represent the party's interests in what are bound to be crucial negotiations in the run up to the May 2015 general election.
Gordon Brown perhaps, or Alistair Darling, or Johann Lamont (the Scottish Labour leader) or even her deputy, Anas Sarwar, the Glasgow MP.
But no, the Labour places have gone to Iain Gray, a terribly ineffectual former Labour leader who lost the 2011 elections to the Scottish Parliament after a truly disastrous campaign during which Iain had to seek refuge from some protesters in a Glasgow Subway shop.
The second Labour place has gone to some other chap, apparently, whom I've never even heard of which just goes to show that Scottish Labour is scraping the bottom of the talent barrel these days, as these previous posts from the blog site demonstrate only too well.
Killing Fields of Glasgow (7 April 2011)
I watched a rather surreal interview with Scottish Labour leader - Iain Gray - earlier this evening.
In which he compared being ambushed by a handful of political groupies in Glasgow - to the 'killing fields' of Cambodia.
In fact, Iain Gray went further - much further
The Labour leader said that his previous experience of civil war in Mozambique, of tribal genocide in Rwanda and the aftermath of General Pinochet's fascist state in Chile - had helped him brush off his political 'mugging' by the Citizens United Against Public Sector Cuts (Glasgow Branch).
Now all of this seems like the mother of all overreactions to me - comparing a little contretemps at Central Station - with some of the worst war crimes in human history is more than bit over the top, don't you think?
But maybe it's catching.
Because Labour's real top banana and UK leader - Ed Miliband - recently compared the TUC 'anti-cuts' marchers with the Suffragettes, the Civil Rights Movement in America and the Anti-Apartheid Campaigners in South Africa.
Now I understand why people want to inject a bit of colour into election campaigns - they can be very boring - and normally any publicity is good publicity.
On this occasion I think not - especially at the memorable sight of Labour's Scottish leader being run to ground - in a Subway sandwich bar, no less.
Clearly New Labour is dead - or he would have sought refuge in a Pret a Manger's at least.
Though things could have been worse - you have to admit.
He might have had to fight his way out of the murderous mob - with a crusty baguette.
In which he compared being ambushed by a handful of political groupies in Glasgow - to the 'killing fields' of Cambodia.
In fact, Iain Gray went further - much further
The Labour leader said that his previous experience of civil war in Mozambique, of tribal genocide in Rwanda and the aftermath of General Pinochet's fascist state in Chile - had helped him brush off his political 'mugging' by the Citizens United Against Public Sector Cuts (Glasgow Branch).
Now all of this seems like the mother of all overreactions to me - comparing a little contretemps at Central Station - with some of the worst war crimes in human history is more than bit over the top, don't you think?
But maybe it's catching.
Because Labour's real top banana and UK leader - Ed Miliband - recently compared the TUC 'anti-cuts' marchers with the Suffragettes, the Civil Rights Movement in America and the Anti-Apartheid Campaigners in South Africa.
Now I understand why people want to inject a bit of colour into election campaigns - they can be very boring - and normally any publicity is good publicity.
On this occasion I think not - especially at the memorable sight of Labour's Scottish leader being run to ground - in a Subway sandwich bar, no less.
Clearly New Labour is dead - or he would have sought refuge in a Pret a Manger's at least.
Though things could have been worse - you have to admit.
He might have had to fight his way out of the murderous mob - with a crusty baguette.
Hokey Cokey
Now I'm not sure if Anas Sarwar, who is the local Westminster MP for my part of Glasgow, supports the policy of no tuition fees in Scotland which are paid for from the public purse.
But if he does, then that's a strange position for anyone to get into - being prepared to pay for a private education at primary and secondary school level while expecting the state to pick up the tab when someone goes on to university.
Hokey-Cokey (1 April 2011)
I wrote something recently about the behaviour of people with strong views on education - while seeming to have things both ways.
Here's what I posted on the blog site back in February - but I was reminded of the issue last night when watching Diane Abbott on Question Time last night.
Diane is a staunch defender of our comprehensive, state education system - being a 'left-wing' Labour MP - but she famously put her son in a private school some years ago - and refused to apologise to her critics.
Now I'm sure Diane is was critic of Labour's decision to introduce student fees - some years ago - and I'm sure she's a critic of the present government's decision to increase student fees even further.
But she's apparently happy to put her son in a fee-paying private school - whose fees will almost certainly be more than those charged by universities - even at the new higher rates.
And after having bought the perceived privileges of a private education - the logic of Diane Abbott's position must be that her son should be able to go on to university - at public expense.
Here's what I posted on the blog site back in February - but I was reminded of the issue last night when watching Diane Abbott on Question Time last night.
Diane is a staunch defender of our comprehensive, state education system - being a 'left-wing' Labour MP - but she famously put her son in a private school some years ago - and refused to apologise to her critics.
Now I'm sure Diane is was critic of Labour's decision to introduce student fees - some years ago - and I'm sure she's a critic of the present government's decision to increase student fees even further.
But she's apparently happy to put her son in a fee-paying private school - whose fees will almost certainly be more than those charged by universities - even at the new higher rates.
And after having bought the perceived privileges of a private education - the logic of Diane Abbott's position must be that her son should be able to go on to university - at public expense.
To my mind that's more like the 'Hokey-Cokey' - than a serious policy on education.
Here's something I found out only the other day.
The Labour party's Scottish leader - Iain Gray - is almost the same age as me.
Apparently he was educated at George Watson's College in Edinburgh - before going on to study at Edinburgh University.
Now the last time I looked, George Watson's College was a private school - and I presume the same was true back in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
The fees today are almost £10,000 a year - even more than the student highest fees that the government is proposing for 'elite' universities like Oxford and Cambridge.
But what I find odd is this.
How come some people think it's OK to jump out of the state education system for five or six years - at a cost of £50,000 to £60,000 at today's prices?
Yet also seem to believe they have a right to go on to study at university - only this time at public expense.
Having bought themselves the benefits of a private education - why should the taxpayer subsidise the cost of that same person going on to university - for another four years and more?
Surely public money should be better spent on the students and young people - who really need the financial support."
Elites in Education (29 January 29 2014)
Photograph: James Galloway
The news that Anas Sarwar (Labour's deputy leader in Scotland) has decided to send his son to a private school in Glasgow comes as no surprise.
Because Labour's last but one leader, Iain Gray, was also educated privately at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, if I remember correctly.
So, while many Labour supporters like to make a lot of noise about the privileged upbringing of someone like David Cameron, they seem happy to turn a blind eye to the same behaviour within their own ranks - which is both odd and hypocritical.
I sent my two children to their local primary and secondary schools and I have no idea why people spend such huge sums of money putting their children through the private education system.
If you ask me, they must have more money than sense.
Apparently the fees at Hutchesons' Grammar School, where Anas Sarwar intends to send his son, cost £8,234 a year.
But I'm scratching my head in amazement at his antics because the last time I looked there were plenty of good state schools in the local area.
In fact if I remember correctly, the Labour leader in Scotland, Johann Lamont, used to be a teacher in the south side of Glasgow before she went off to the Scottish Parliament to pursue a career as an MSP.
So, I imagine Johann will have some choice words for her deputy, Anas, and might even ask him to explain how sending his child to a private school helps the cause of social justice and local integration.
