Crackerjack II

All the way back before Christmas, I informed both of my readers of Gordon Jackson's plans to wind up his work as a practising advocate in the summer to concentrate on his constituents, the good people of Govan. However, Jackson has performed another U-turn (I did see this coming as well), and has lodged and appeal on behalf of Nat Fraser, who was convicted of murdering his wife Arlene. The case will be heard in September.

Of course, this might actually be a smart move by Jackson: a Labour internal poll forecasts a 5% swing from the party to the SNP on the constituency vote, which would be enough to see Nicola Sturgeon win Govan. It'll also see Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Kilmarnock and Loudoun, the Western Isles, Linlithgow, Aberdeen Central, Dundee West, Paisley South and West Renfrewshire in SNP hands.

FMQs

The first FMQs of 2006, and a relatively interesting session. Nicola Sturgeon led on the scandal in England, where registered sex offenders have been found working with children. She was anxious to know whether or not this was possible in Scotland. Her approach was sensible: it was consensual and constructive, asking why it was that the Sex Offenders' Register had some 3,000 names on it, but only 56 (it's now 63) people were expressly banned from working with children. Jack McConnell responded carefully and earnestly (so credit is due to him): he pointed out that it was theoretically possible (though it would depend on employers being lax) that sex offenders could end up working with children, and that the Executive would implement some of the Bichard Report's recommendations (the Report following the Soham murders in Cambridgeshire). He pointed out that the list of people who are expressly barred was only established recently and was not retrospective. He informed the Chamber that the law would have to be amended if it was felt that it needed to be made retrospective. Unfortunately, he didn't say he was going to do that.

Annabel Goldie led on the collapse of a murder case in Edinburgh: she wanted an inquiry. McConnell thought that the Lord Advocate should look into things, but stopped short of the inquiry wanted by the Tories.

Robin Harper, however, lobbed a hand grenade into proceedings, which was quite impressive considering how much he stuttered at the start. His opening gambit was to ask the First Minister what his contribution to sustainability was. McConnell was slightly stunned by this, but then announced that he shows leadership within the Executive on issues such as the environment, citing recycling as an example of where progress has been made. He went on to announce that he recycles his rubbish. (Well, actually he said, "I do my bit every week." This could be anything, really.)

At this point, McConnell must have been congratulating himself for getting out of what was a tight spot. What he didn't realise was that he'd walked right into Harper's trap, who used his last supplementary to refer to the Scottish Executive Environmental Performance Annual Report, which showed that Executive Business car mileage has increased by 65% in the past year, and a decision had been taken to drop quietly their target of car mileage reduction. The FM was completely thrown, and had to admit that he hadn't read the report. He also tried to make the Greens look like nerds for having read it themselves. It didn't work.

FMQs

There was a last-day-of-term feel to Holyrood today, possibly because this was in fact the last day of term. It reminded me of 'Toy Day' at primary school, when everyone brought in games to play.

Nicola Sturgeon brought Buckaroo. She was attempting to load the McConnell with different problems until he kicked out. Taking the biography of the First Minister ('Lucky Jack') as her inspiration, she first asked if Blair's continual refusal to deal with McConnell was what led him to meet with David Cameron. McConnell replied that both of them have been seen in Scotland, which was more than could be said for Alex Salmond. Sturgeon had the grace to laugh. She then went on waiting times. McConnell pointed out that he had met all his targets. Sturgeon brought out the hidden waiting list manoeuvre (when will these two stop playing 'My statistics are bigger than yours?'). McConnell lashed out, Nat-bashing, and then presenting the Parliament with a list of Nice Things. It was lovely really!

Annabel Goldie went for Backgammon. There's no real reason why I've picked that one, except it feels like a Tory game. Aside from a brief discussion about plans for the New Year, and Goldie telling the FM that 'meetings can be very fruitful' (is she coming on to him?), this was far more serious. She led with the story of two thirteen year-olds found collapsed on the streets of Aberdeen having drunk themselves stupid. She asked for more to be done, and for the Children's Panel to be used to deal with under-age drinking. McConnell struck a conciliatory note. There was an acknowledgement on both sides that action needed to be taken and this was the so-called 'New Politics' at its finest.

Colin Fox brought Go For Broke (see my previous post). He discussed the target of securing equal pay and conditions for male and female council workers and asked the McConnell whether he would raise Council Tax or cut services to achieve this. McConnell tried some Trot-bashing for a change. A brief waste of time, and a shame after the festive ambience provided by Sturgeon and (to a lesser extent) Goldie. That said, McConnell did get in a dig about Fox's Robin Hood costume. He has, therefore, gone up in my estimation.

FMQs

Well, I don't know about you, but I need a stiff drink after this week's instalment. Nicola Sturgeon led with financing for local councils, citing a Finance Committee report that suggests that councils will have to increase Council Tax by up to 6.6% if they aren't allowed to keep any efficiency savings that they make. Jack McConnell denied that the Finance Committee said this (they didn't say it exactly, but the figure 6.6% is used in Paragraph 86 of the Report as the rise if no furhter savings are made, and it points out that the savings that are going to be made won't be efficiency savings as they'll lead to a cut in services, so McConnell wasn't on sure ground here), then said that even if they did, they're wrong. More Nat-bashing ensued. Wendy Alexander (Lab, Paisley North and a member of the Finance Committee) stepped in, but forgot that as this was First Minister's Questions, you have to ask a question, thus incurring the wrath of George Reid.

Annabel Goldie asked why people are killing each other more under Labour. McConnell looked like he wanted to add another figure to that statistic at that moment, but decided instead to point out that when the Tories tried to end automatic early release for prisoners, it was cack-handed electioneering, whereas when his Executive gets around to it, it won't be. The facts that this was a promise in the Labour 2003 Manifesto, there's less than 18 months to the next election and it hasn't been done yet were clearly lost on him.

Colin Fox decided to ask an urgent question to gloat about the decision of Edinburgh Council's tenants not to have their housing stock transferred to a Housing Association. McConnell said that the decision was tragic (i.e. the people of Edinburgh are wrong - way to endear yourself to them before an election, Jack!), and blamed Fox for lying to them about the consequences of stock transfer (i.e. the people of Edinburgh are mugs - fantastic, Jack!). He then claimed he was a Socialist. Personally, I'm not sure that Jack would recognise Socialism if it came up and nutted him, but the First Minister never lets pesky things like the facts get in the way of a good rant.

Then it was Robin Harper's turn. Harper is more easy to listen to then his colleague Shiona Baird, but he does have a tendency to stumble his way thorugh a question. This week he stumbled his way through rendition, with a rather halting question about whether or not the First Minister would co-operate with the Council of Europe's call for an investigation into it. McConnell gave an equally halting answer about how he can't order the police or the Lord Advocate to issue the necessary search warrant.

FMQs

For those of you who read this as a substitute for watching it, let me just say that you missed nothing!

Sturgeon led on the Auditor General's report on the NHS, and started complaining about so-called 'hidden' waiting lists. McConnell pointed out that they weren't actually hidden. They accused each other of undermining the medical profession. I decided to finish a su doku puzzle rather than keep listening. Judging by the screeching and posturing, I made the right decision.

Goldie is trying to be Cameron-esque, extending her bosom (McConnell brought bosoms into this, by the way) to McConnell if he takes a more Blairite line. The First Minister didn't quite know what to do, and started talking about David Cameron's bosom. I decided to start on the kakuro puzzle rather than watch the sick spectacle unfold.

And Colin Fox attempted to guilt trip McConnell over the War in Iraq, noting Cindy Sheehan's visit to Parliament. I listened, but it sounded at best dull and at worst whiny. Tommy Sheridan would have done a far better job. Please come back, Tommy. All is forgiven!

FMQs

Well, McConnell came out fighting today, slamming the Opposiiton parties for their stance on immigration. Unfortunately, it pretty much turned into a train wreck. Our Jack seems quite convinced that he can actually change policy for the whole of the UK. Sadly, everything he said, Tony McNulty has smacked down already. Never one to let the facts get in the way of some Nat-bashing, however Jack pressed on, saying that he had made representations to the Home Office despite the fact that according to them, he's never asked them to change their policy. They can't both be right! Not only that, but Jack dug an even deeper hole for himself when he said that since the Westminster elections not one SNP MP had brought this up at Westminster, suggesting that he's the only person to have raised this. Except this comes from Hansard of 3rd November, Column 982, during Business Questions:

Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): When we have the debate on returning asylum seekers, can we have a good and proper look at the use of dawn raids by the immigration service? There is almost universal revulsion and embarrassment in Scotland about the use of that practice, especially with our backdrop of a falling population. Does the Leader of the House agree that because of our different immigration requirements, and because of our clearly different political values on the matter, it is time to devolve immigration to the Scottish Parliament?

So not only is there a gap between what he's saying and what the Home Office are saying on what he's discussed with them, but there's also a gap between what he said and what Hansard has recorded about the SNP. Oh dear. And that's before you factor in the difference between McConnell's viewpoint (dawn raids are necessary as part of the immigration policy) and Communities Minister Malcom Chisholm's comments that dawn raids are an awful thing. Both Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Fox had a field day with him on this.

Annabel Goldie, on the other hand, took a different tack: she opened as though she were part of a tag team with Nicola Sturgeon (a concept that may worry both SNP and Tory activists), then started talking about energy policy. It is interesting (well, it is if you're me) that while Jack McConnell ruled out new nuclear power stations in Scotland, Tony Blair is taking a pro-nuclear line in Whitehall. What's even more interesting is that Goldie seemed to be supporting Blair on this one. Now, obviously, you'd expect the Tories to be pro-nuclear, but there's definitely a positioning going on here - it goes without saying that she's trying to get Blair supporters to defect to the Tories for 2007. This is just what they need to hold onto their three consitituency seats and maybe take Perth from the SNP as well. Mind you, that's not to say it'll pay off!