Euro Election Reflections 2

When George Lyon is formally declared as the eleventh Liberal Demorcat MEP later today he will actually be in a minority. He will be one of five male Lib Dem MEPs to the six women who will be representing us.

Last week on one of my colleagues blogs or Facebook, and just now I can't recall which, somebody complained that the Lib Dems by not using zipped lists and proportionality were not getting a balance of people. Well without doing so we have achieved sexual parity. Sarah Ludford in London, Fiona Hall in the North East, Liz Lynne in the North East, Diana Wallis in Yorkshire and Humber. Even in the one region we returned two MEPs, the South East, they are both women Sharon Bowles and Catherine Bearder.

It shows that women can indeed rise to the top and I know there is still work to be done to encourage more to the surface in key and winnable Westminster and Holyrood seats, but we are a party that recognises talent and that is something to be proud of.

Euro Election Reflections 1

I'm doing do some more in depth comment later. But for now here is one personal reflection on the count last night.

I was attending the Falkirk Count, good solid Labour territory you would think. However, there was only one Labour representative in the hall as the votes were being counted, Cathy Peattie the MSP for Falkirk East. Now as a Lib Dem in some of the darker parts of the central belt for two Euros in a row now I've been the only Lib Dem at my count (although Kevin McPhillips had company over at Livingston for West Lothian) but this is the first time I've ever seen a solitary Labour count agent.

I think that speaks volumes for the mire that Labour are finding themselves in if they cannot muster activists to even stand in the warmth of Grangemouth Sports Complex for a few hours.

I know there are exceptions like Kez and my own cousin down in Cumbria but from what I've witnessed Labour activists have been very thin on the ground. That is even in comparison with just 5 years ago and the last Euros.

Polls are now open

I expect to be busy all day. But I'm voting Lib Dem today because we're stronger together with Europe and weaker apart.


Labour’s arrogance has messed up Britain’s relationship with other European countries

The Conservatives and UKIP think that on its own Britain can face the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism

As for the SNP they think think that on its own Scotland can face the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism.

There's a Kind of Hush All Over the Poll Tonight

I'm writing this sitting on the bus having done a good cardio session delivered a few eve of poll bundles in the tenements facing the Meadows in Edinburgh. My allusion to Herman's Hermits in the title of this blog is that despite being a political anorak, despite having my nose to the ground I, like many others in the political world, am not entirely sure what the vote tomorrow holds for the count on Sunday.

Every political fibre in my body tells me that what I have been campaigning for and what the Lib Dems have stood for in these European Elections was good sound and would have turned peoples heads and votes. However, for the last four weeks, although it feels like four years, the Telegraph has hijacked the political narrative. Don't get me wrong a lot of what came out needed to come out, it is what the Lib Dems have said and voted for many times down the years, but it has blocked out all other messages.

Even on that Nick Clegg and the message we have put forward to make a change is a good one. It is just what Parliament needs and what the people want. Yet the recent polls show that the Telegraph have appeared to have done a job or tarring all parties with the same brush, nobody remembers their saints. Although thankfully the Scots are well aware of the needs for the MPs of Argyll & Bute and Orkney & Shetland. The Telegraph tried to show up when all they are really doing is serving all their constituents. Rather than being a stay away member as some would appear to be from other parties, with first homes here there and everywhere.

So what is going to happen in tomorrows vote, that all depends. Those who are upset may either stay away or vote for change. But if they vote for change simply for the sake of it without asking what that change will be is that really worth it? Could they end up with an MEP or MEP for the next 5 years they may regret. The way some of the people I've met have been talking they haven't weighed up all the things that some of the less established parties bring to the table. In most cases there is a reason that they are not well grounded and what they stand for well known. Either they don't want voters to see their true intent, or people have seen their true intent and decided not to vote for them.

Looking at the polls it is that have said they don't intend to vote that is worrying. Have they said that because they really aren't going to vote? And if they are is this being accurately reflecting the polling companies take on where those votes are lost? Or have they just said 'I'm not voting for any of them' meaning the Westminster parties but are weighing up options? If so do those options include the only party that has said what they intend to do, not merely that we will consult and await Kelly's report, that party being the Liberal Democrats.

At the start of this campaign I was really excited that my party was going to fight an election for Europe on the issues of Europe that affect everyone of us. I was glad that we were standing up for what Europe does well and campaigning to change what needs reform. I'm still glad that we are taking the same stance on Westminster.

However, I am sad that this election is not about what those who are represented are going to do, nor about what they are saying. This election in the minds of many is not even about Europe, something that the Tories and SNP are also talking up because they don't want people to look too closely at just what they are saying and doing about Europe.

I'll still be doing my bit tomorrow. Voting Lib Dem and encouraging others to do so as long as I can manage. But in all my 21 years of being old enough to vote this is the most disheartening campaign, at times in ways, I've been involved in.

Quote of the Day: Hazel Blears

In her resignation statement she said (amongst other stuff):

"Most of all I want to help the Labour Party to reconnect with the British people, to remind them that our values are their values, that their hopes and dreams are ours too."

Sorry! I'm just picking myself off the floor after that bit about values.

In Livingston that means it don't matter if the dodgy geezer in the pub offers to do work for you, turns up in an unmarked white van and gets paid cash in hand. Or you know the landlord is an ex-joiner you can charge for non-existent shelving these values are OK. Plus you can buy stuff at the tax payers expense which has already been bought at the tax payers expense only for them to be replaced by the seller at the tax payers expense what a Devine circle of events.

Nats to Table Dissolution Motion

Today is day 2 of Nick Clegg's 100 days to reform Parliament but the Nats, both the SNP and Plaid Cymru, are going to turn this over to a vote next Wednesday, pre-reformation of any substantive kind. Advanced Media Watch an SNP blog is saying that the Lib Dems 'have signalled that they intend to back it' and that William Hague is making promising noises from the Conservative benches. It is not however a vote of no confidence in the Government but a more substantial motion that would none the less trigger a general election if passed.

Of course we are calling for an election but Nick has also said that an immediate election without reform in place before hand may only lead to 5 years of umming and ahing until whoever wins is forced to call another one. Hoping that the public mood will die down in the interim. Yes an election has got to be called soon. But Labour, the Tories and now the Nats are all saying what they will do 'after' an election to sort of the mess, not what needs to be done before one to re-engage the trust, and make provision for mistrust, of the electorate in those they will be asked to vote for.

As it appears that we will be backing it along with Her Majesties Official opposition it remains to be seen what the rest of the Labour Party will do. Those that are wanting to stay may want to call it to show an understanding of the public mood. Those that have indicated they want to go may want to get their severance deals now to avoid more heartache. Those who have been called before the NEC may also vote for it in the hope to get hold of their pension before they may be forced to face a by election and loss their benefits. If could be a interesting job for the Labour whips to try and defend this one.

Maybe that I am postponing post election downtime with loved one(s) for some time depending on the outcome of the vote. Go to the Ballot Boxes and preparre to maybe campaign again. Boy does that make my aching feet ache even more.

The Devine Comedy: Or How he may not face GE Vote

The news this morning is that Jim Devine who replaced Robin Cook in the October 2005 Livingston By Election may become infamous as the MP who never faced a General Election vote.

Labour's National Executive's special endorsements panel is to 'urgently' review the former constituency agents expenses following the emergence of his submission of a claim to pay for work for a company that never existed. The £2,157 rewiring bill for his London address had an invalid postcode and VAT number. The Devine comedy defence was:

"As an MP do I have to check the VAT numbers of every company I use? What it sounds like is the guy has been trying to avoid paying the proper tax. That is what it looks like happened here and that's hardly my fault. I haven't done anything wrong."

Er I would have thought that anyone in the public eye especially a legislator would at least carry out some background check before paying, and I can only assume I assume case in hand, for such work. The work was apparently on the recommendation of a friend. We all know about friends of a friend. Apparently not the Livingston MP.

There is also a bill for £2,326 for joinery work, including 66 metres of shelving, for his constituency office. The name on that receipt was in the name of Tony Moran, who also happens to the licensee of a local pub. Devine comedy response 2:

"Tony Moran did no work for me in my office."

Then why is his name on the invoice submitted to the fees office for said work?

Of course there is also the fact that he claimed £4000 for the furniture which he purchased from Michael Connarty when he purchased Connarty's flat. Furniture that the tax payers ahd already paid for was being paid for again as were the replacements for Connarty.