tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post4467568078082194161..comments2023-10-22T14:14:16.419+01:00Comments on J. Arthur MacNumpty: Showdown in the City of DiscoveryWillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978812670312106107noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-7858035516072304062009-03-29T14:57:00.000+01:002009-03-29T14:57:00.000+01:00Grogipher, yes it was the night before session I w...Grogipher, yes it was the night before session I was speaking of, he did an address as part of the proceedings - badged as a 'Beer & Sandwiches'... very 70s eh?Ted Harveynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-1502367822484831922009-03-29T11:03:00.000+01:002009-03-29T11:03:00.000+01:00As I said, it was in the less formal bits beforeha...As I said, it was in the less formal bits beforehand.. The civic reception the night before.Grogipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12781013801121569150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-72224431874315004582009-03-29T10:35:00.000+01:002009-03-29T10:35:00.000+01:00Grogipher sorry but I've only have just picked up ...Grogipher sorry but I've only have just picked up on your comment above. It was the SURF conference. The guid Lord Provost didn't say anything in his formal address so far as I can recall that was really just a read-off-the-script usual stuff about Dundee being brilliant. But maybe somehting said in the chit chatting in the less formal networking afterwards? In which case it's maybe fair to leave it at that (on the basis that maybe I could have been embarrased at times by what slipped out over sharing a few wee goldies:-)Ted Harveynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-11258121752478161042009-03-27T18:36:00.000+00:002009-03-27T18:36:00.000+00:00Perchance was that the SURF Conference?I hear thro...Perchance was that the SURF Conference?<BR/><BR/>I hear through the grapevine that Cllr Letford may have made some interesting comments about his colleagues at the Civic Reception the night before.Grogipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12781013801121569150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-80073618898707187502009-03-27T18:28:00.000+00:002009-03-27T18:28:00.000+00:00The most interesting things for me about this wee ...The most interesting things for me about this wee stushie are other, related, matters.<BR/><BR/>I was at the big regeneration conference in Dundee a few weeks back. The proverbial chat with taxi drivers and the all-important saloon bar chat, revealed a popular sense of real apprehension about just how well or, more likely, badly, Dundee is placed to contend with the worsening recession. Local politicians would do well to heed that sense of apprehension out there in their streets.<BR/><BR/>The second matter reflects Grogipher's comments about his grandfather being of that strain of Scotsmen and women who one could never see doing anything other than voting for their party no matter what. I forecast at the time of the last Scottish general election that thereafter there was a timebomb ticking away for the old Labour establishment in Scotland. Many, many tribal Labour voters did not support 'their' party for the first time in their life - a lesser number must have actually voted against it.<BR/><BR/>After that, with literally every day that passes and no sign of the end of life as we know it in a Scotland not ruled by Labour, the old tribalism falls away.<BR/><BR/>In fact, it's the UK economic roof that fell in - and many if not most Labour stalwarts and ex-stalwarts probably share everone else's sense that Gordon Brown along with Blair, 'Lord' Mandelson and assorted rich Labour grandees have well and truly screwed it up for all of us.<BR/><BR/>There must be some fundamental sea changes happening around all of this at the level of 'ordinary voter' politics - and I'm doing some darn hard thinking to try and capture what these things are... but they are surely not that the voters-in-the-Dundee-streets are all agog and talking of little else but the wee shenanigins and doings down at the Town Hall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-68905649099805104212009-03-25T02:25:00.000+00:002009-03-25T02:25:00.000+00:00Thanks for the sitrep on Dundee politics - pure by...Thanks for the sitrep on Dundee politics - pure byzantine.McGonagallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14887321534801112949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-23836813565420078732009-03-25T00:59:00.000+00:002009-03-25T00:59:00.000+00:00GrogipherYes, the Tele certainly went to town on M...Grogipher<BR/><BR/>Yes, the Tele certainly went to town on Mr Letford, and the vox seemed a bit dubious, but on the other hand it's an open goal.<BR/><BR/>Surely Labour supporters are bound to be alienated by his actions, but at the same time SNP voters are unlikely to warm to him either.<BR/><BR/>His appeal to principle looks insincere; as Will says, if he thought the idea of a cross-party administration was so attractive then why did he wait six years and until he saw the writing on the wall to do something about it?<BR/><BR/>If he'd resigned the LPship and pledged his support for the SNP as a 'backbencher' then this would have looked principled, but the actuality seems just too convenient and cosy for him.Stuart Wintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772436419630464325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-46258828570242573052009-03-24T23:42:00.000+00:002009-03-24T23:42:00.000+00:00Thanks for the coconut; although I'd honestly pref...Thanks for the coconut; although I'd honestly prefer to be wearing the cheerleaders' outfit from the other post.. hehe :P<BR/><BR/>I do think everyone's being a bit hard on John though. He is, to all extents and purposes, a Labour man through and through. His eight little friends however, aren't. He believes in his city, the Labour party don't. From my dealings with my own Dundee Labour Cllr, I can most definitely confirm that they don't give a fuck about the people, and spend their time infighting. <BR/><BR/>It would not have been an easy decision for him at all. He's like my grandad; someone that I never thought wouldn't actually leave the party. It wouldn't have mattered just how much PFI or foundation hospitals or privatisation they went for - they just couldn't bring themself to leave; but hey, I was wrong.<BR/><BR/>The bickering amongst the party is clear from the press - the Tele, in it's impartial way, has rolled out former cllrs, former MPs, sitting MPs and sitting cllrs all to have a pop at him - I do not quite know what principles the oaf Keenan has that Mr Letford does not - I would be most delighted to be updated there.<BR/><BR/>I also wouldn't believe the validity of the Vox; I think far more people in Lochee would prefer Mr Letford, whatever badge he was wearing. But hey, what're my years of speaking to the folk of Charleston, Lochee, Balgay, Menzieshill and stuff got on two mins of a reporter who doesn't care trying to find old men on Lochee High Street?<BR/><BR/>I've addressed Jeff's points on his blog. His issue is with the electoral system, not the man.<BR/><BR/>I also would not be so quick to decide upon the Tories' actions. Although you can count the Liberal's votes to be stuck to Labour, the Tories have some soul searching to be getting on with.Grogipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12781013801121569150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-77891681043168944412009-03-24T23:08:00.000+00:002009-03-24T23:08:00.000+00:00A fine and balanced analysis.Not clear what the SN...A fine and balanced analysis.<BR/><BR/>Not clear what the SNP have in mind for the non-political portfolios, but Cllr Letford has both the licensing board and committee convenorships at the moment, so perhaps he's to be staying there, or maybe Cllr Borthwick will be offered one of those briefs to keep him on side in addition to the LPship, but who knows?<BR/><BR/>Or since the latter was pushing for a cross-party administration maybe he's persuaded the SNP to offer some of the non-political convenorships to the other parties as the price for his support.<BR/><BR/>But whatever happens it's certainly a good study in political promiscuity!Stuart Wintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772436419630464325noreply@blogger.com