Ineos go all in, Unite fold

The best analogy of the deal that was reached over the Grangemouth plants future this morning comes from the world of poker.

Ineos possibly sick of the infighting and continuous threat of strikes from the Unite Union yesterday announced they were shutting down the petrochemical part of the plant and considering the future of refinery. It was the equivalent of putting all your chips unto the table and being prepared to lose everything.

Unite had rejected the 'last chance survival' plan offered by Ineos, but this morning with 800 jobs apparently already gone and 570 others threatened they capitulated. Accepted all the conditions laid down by that plan as they say "warts and all". Equivalent to throwing all your cards away in poker.

This afternoon we also saw the new Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael and Scottish Finance Minister John Swinney together in Grangemouth to talk with Ineos this afternoon.

Addressing the press after that meeting Mr Carmichael said:

"We are in a much better place today in relation to the future of the plant than we were yesterday.

"There remains, of course, a great deal to be done."

Mr Swinney added:

"This plant has got a great future, everybody accepts that Grangemouth has got a great future.

"What we need to do is resolve these outstanding issues, get the investment plan implemented and take forward and improve the prospects for the people that that work in this plant."

The past 24 hours has certainly proved to be a long time in the  life of 1,370 highly skilled jobs in Grangemouth and I hope that in the future both sides will sit down and discuss differences in a constructive and respectful manner long, coming to a conclusion long before it escalates to such potentially damaging circumstances.

Carmichael's return to the Front Bench

So the first change announced in the Government reshuffle was not replacing the Tories who resigned yesterday, but did involve another change in the Whips Office. It saw Michael Moore replaced by Alistair Carmichael as Secretary of State for Scotland.

With less that a year to go before the referendum the return of Alistair's voice to the debates in Westminster and to the front bench is to be welcomed. His speeches in this Parliament have been confined to moving the writ for the Eastleigh by election as he has been restricted by his whips duties. To have him addressing Scottish issues from the dispatch box like he did in opposition for our party will strengthen the voice for better together. His law training will be able to unravel the bluster and bravado of the Nationalists as he forensically will take apart their arguments.

I'm sure Alex Salmond heart will have sunk a little when he learnt that Alistair was once again taking up the remit for Scotland. It is an area that the Northern Isles MP knows well having shadowed it from 2007-2010 (with a slight gap when he resigned to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty). In those years when the SNP were first in charge of the Scottish Parliament he was as combative against the SNP Government as he was the Labour Scottish Secretary, taking the fight to them on issues where they were letting down the people of Scotland. Now he is able to stand up for the Scots as the Government minister with responsibility in Westminster.

Normally there would be a wee dram to welcome the new Secretary of State for Scotland, but this one is currently going sober for the month to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. So may I suggest joining me with a donation there rather than a dram.

Michael Moore had done a good job since he was elevated as part of the first reshuffle less than a month into the Parliament replacing Danny Alexander as Secretary of State. For three years he has been very vocal and visible is stating the cause of Scotland being part of the UK. I'm sure he will still be very vocal in the Better Together campaign and giving his backing to Alistair in  his new role. But sometimes a change is good, especially in the run in to a important decision. This will be a change in style rather than substance, but as Alistair was the MP leading the General Election campaign for the Lib Dems in Scotland he is the man to have at the helm leading into this referendum.

I also expect his role in the Whips Office to be taken by a non-Scottish Liberal Democrat. We want all the Scottish MPs to be making contributions in the house over the next 11 months adding to the reasons that we are better together and that there are Scots in Government working for the best for fellow Scots who want to ensure that continues into the future.

Update As I was typing this is was announced that Don Foster the MP for Bath has replaced Alistair at the Whips Office.

Still blogging new venue

Many of my readers will know I have been busy for a while, and yes way too busy for blogging.

A lot has happened since I last blogged, a Pope has resigned! Who would have seen that coming?

The voice and creator of Roobarb and Custard both died.

Oh and of course the Lib Dems won a by election on Thursday, in the Berrylands ward of Kingston Borough Council my old stamping ground.

There may have been one of two other things that have happened too. Of which I will say more later, but one colossal thing that has happened was that this morning I was handed the keys to my new flat, and sent a email of tasks for my new job.

The flat is in Kirkwall, which is rather handy as the job is as Parliamentary Assistant to Alistair Carmichael based in his constituency. My commute to work will be a tiring 3 minutes irregardless of traffic. However, for this weekend I am staying in a hotel, while I get things settled and that of course includes sorting out broadband for the new place. So I shall be blogging again when I can, but it may yet be intermittent in the short term.

Stay tuned.

Liberal Conservative Deal Good News for Rural Fuel Prices

So the Liberal Conservative coalition is going to start pilot programmes to look at how fuel prices in rural areas can be cut when the oil price is high. It's a step towards a workable scheme that was promised in the Liberal Democrat manifesto.

As George Lyon MEP says:

"This is an important first step in our fight for fairer fuel prices in rural Scotland.

"Successive Labour and Conservative Governments have blocked Liberal Democrat attempts to secure a fuel duty reduction in areas where driving is a necessity, not a luxury.

"Now with Liberal Democrats in Government we have a chance to deliver on what other parties have refused to even consider.

"I will work with Scottish Secretary Danny Alexander MP to make sure pilot schemes are introduced in Scotland so we can begin to lift the serious financial burden of sky-high fuel prices."

The price differential from the national average can be as much as 15p a litre in some of our worst hit rural areas and the option of public transport is largely non-existent or at best infrequent to residents in such areas.

It shows the changes that Liberal Democrats are bringing to the new Government and follows on from the debate Alistair Carmichael secured on 10 February this year where there was far reaching issues raised from many voices and areas heard from, though none from the SNP. In that debate Alistair said:

"I bring that answer* to hon. Members' attention because it is important for us to understand that the problems that are faced by our communities are not unique; they are shared by different communities in the European Union. However, they get very different treatment from their Governments than that which we have experienced.

"I have asked Ministers in the past to consider such a derogation, and I make the same request of the Minister today. Will she consider setting up a pilot scheme to assess whether the Government's concerns are legitimate, real and substantial-I suspect that they are not-or whether they are just an excuse for continuing to do nothing?"

So Lib Dems are delivering on things they have asked for under Labour through working with the Conservatives. Who'd have thought it?

Obviously not James Macintyre at the New Statesman who thought that Labour had a good working relationship with the Liberal Democrats down the years. Here is one example of the reverse. An example of where talking the talk isn't enough, Labour failed to learn to walk the walk. That is why the people have turned against them action is what the people want.

* One received from George Lyon on 8 January from the EU Commission (excuse the civil service speak):

"The Commission can, nevertheless, confirm that-on a different basis-in order to partially offset the additional costs of insularity - and thus geographical remoteness and difficulties of supply, France was authorised to apply a reduced rate of taxation to unleaded petrol used as motor fuel and consumed in the Corsican department. Moreover, at the moment of the adoption of Council Directive 2003/96/EC4-and for similar reasons as France-Portugal and Greece were authorised to apply reduced rates of taxation for fuel consumed in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira and on some Greek islands. Concerning the details of the schemes, the Commission can inform the Honourable Member that in the case of Corsica, the reduction is 1 cent per litre. In the case of the Greek islands, the reduction can be up to 2.2 cents per litre. In the case of Azores and Madeira, the directive does not specify the amount of the tax reduction, however, according to the information available to the Commission, the degree of tax differentiations from the Portuguese mainland is 1.5 cents per litre (Madeira) and 3.8 cents per litre in the case of the island of Azores."

The Tories Who Say NI

That is NI as in Northern Ireland. Yesterday Alistair Carmichael the Liberal Democrat Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary said

"It’s time for David Cameron to come clean about the position of his new alliance on policing and justice.

"With the UUP saying one thing, and the Tories saying the complete opposite, voters will struggle to understand what exactly joint Tory/UUP candidates stand for.

"What we're seeing is the Tories in complete disarray. When it takes George Bush to step in as the voice of reason, it's clear that David Cameron has dug himself a very big hole.

"This raises serious questions about David Cameron's judgement. If he can't manage to steer a straight course in opposition, how on earth would he cope as Prime Minister?"

Don't forget that Cameron and Reg Empey the UUP leader are going into this General Election with a joint slate of candidates. Should any of the UUP lot be elected they have promised to take the Tory whip. As it stands we may well be facing a tight election or a minority Tory administration. Yet on the single most important piece of devolved Northern Irish policy that will not only be discussed and voted on, not just this year but years either side, David said do one thing and Reg and his buddies at Stormont did the opposite.

As for George W. Bush having to step in to sort out an 'internal' party matter. I think today's Peter Brookes cartoon in the Times sums that up rather nicely.

Do Not Be Fooled by Inaction of a Quiet Party

Last summer Stewart Hosie MP the SNP's Treasury spokesman said:

"Hauliers, and motorists in rural areas, have been struggling with forecourt prices for some time, but the recession, and now Alistair Darling's plans to increase fuel duty even further are the final straw.

"A road fuel regulator would see any extra cash raised from VAT on higher pump prices go straight back into an equivalent cut in fuel duty.It would give a real lifeline to Scotland's hauliers who are unable to plan effectively for the future because they do not know what the price of fuel will be."

In the European elections the SNP said:

"The SNP is the only party offering a strong voice for Scotland in Europe.

"Only an SNP voice in Europe will put Scotland's economy and Scotland's industries at the forefront of European debate and see Scottish issues represented in Europe."

They also have a voice in Westminster, so how did they use that voice today? Well as Andrew Reeves points out today there was a prime time for Stewart Hosie to make those feelings about Scottish hauliers and motorists heard. Alistair Carmichael the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland brought a debate to Westminster Hall on fuel prices in rural areas. Just the sort of debate that Hosie and his colleagues should have been jumping up and down in, making speeches and interventions, making that voice heard.

Well not as Alistair Carmichael tweeted:

"Good turnout for debate. MPs from all parts of the country. Disappointed no one from the SNP"

Adding as the debate progressed the nature of the issue:

"Several MPs make the point that people in islands have lower incomes and pay more of it for fuel"

Alistair is also Shadow SoS for Northern Ireland so he commented that:

"Three Northern Ireland MPs remind us that this is a problem for them too."

The Lib Dems have for a long time be vocal on this issue and only last month George Lyon Lib Dem MEP called on the UK and Scottish governments to work together to secure a fuel price derogation for the country’s rural and remote areas.

The result of Alistair Carmichael's debate this morning, well as he tweets to this European colleague:

"@georgelyonmep We later got a concession from the minister about examining EU schemes. Can we discuss this some time?"

Liberal Democrats have worked together to get the Minister to look at this issue while the SNP were posted missing through inaction.

Iain Duncan Smith former leader of the Tories said of himself, "do not underestimate the determination of a quiet man". I say today we've learnt just what voice the SNP have for the people of Scotland, it is one that wants to be heard by the people of Scotland in making promises to take action, but when that it comes to getting time to talk about the need for action they fall silent.

Therefore as we head into a Westminster election people should not be fooled by the inaction of a quiet party. They often show they don't care about Westminster, but claim to care about the people, but what when Westminster can actually help them to care for Scotland? Like today.

The SNP are not prepared to make real noise about the needs of Scotland, they only want the voters to think they do so they will vote for them, to give them independence. Then what? Their inaction and quietness speaks louder than....well I would say words...but there were none.

Last autumn our local SNP candidate for Westminster Tam Smith said:

"The Treasury’s tax take on diesel is modern day highway robbery. It is a national scandal that, in an oil rich country like Scotland, we are paying over 30p a litre more than motorists in Romania and Bulgaria.

"Key sectors like the haulage industry are reeling from forecourt costs, and Alistair Darling must use his Pre-Budget report next month to bring down the cost of fuel.

"A strong haulage industry is a vital part of our economy. Scottish hauliers are being put at a huge competitive disadvantage by this, and the prices just seem to go up and up and up. The fact is that soaring fuel prices are actually hindering economic recovery from recession."

Yet his colleagues failed to use their opportunity today to point out the issues facing rural Scotland, that many of them represent. Thankfully for the people of Wales Plaid Cymru did not take their position so lightly as the SNP did. But the SNP in Government in Holyrood or in Westminster seem so determined and focused on one goal they forget to take necessary steps along the way, when the time is right.

Yes sending Tam to Westminster would bring about a change but by the inaction of his would be colleagues over an issue that affects many Scots that would not be a change for the better, nor the needed change that the people of Linlithgow and East Falkirk need.

Heading Over the River for Failed Rebellion....Apparently

According to the Times some senior members of my own party view me as being in a minority of 'referendum rebels'. They are saying in the press that to change the party stance on a Referendum for Independence is a 'betrayal of those who voted for the party in the 2007 Scottish election'. Interesting choice of words ahead of events in Dunfermline later.

Strange that on the day that we are discussing the party's constitution and making line by line changes to parts of it one phrase from the preamble sticks out that the 2007 election pledge is actually a betrayal to our constitution.

"We [the Scottish Liberal Democrats] believe that sovereignty rests with the people and that authority in a democracy derives from them. We therefore acknowledge their right to determine the form of government best suited to their needs."

Of course the next line goes on to say that:

"We commit ourselves to the promotion of these aims and beliefs in the Scottish and UK Parliaments."

As Alistair Carmichael says:

"These discussions are not abstract or academic. They are a hard political choice for the party. Do we support Alex Salmond’s rigged referendum or do we keep faith with those voters to whom we gave a very clear commitment at the 2007 Scottish elections?"

Of course and this is the point I argued back in 2006. If we had taken courage in our convictions that Scotland is better with a stronger parliament but within the UK we should have made sure that was asked of the people, either before 2007 or by getting involved with the SNP working on what we agree with and forming the words of their referendum White Paper so that it was not rigged. Giving the people the right to determine their own future is what we stand for.

In my opinion, and sadly many who may vote for us, what 2007 was a betrayal of was our party's constitution and the name Democrat that exists in our title. Calling those of this view a minority of rebels may prove dangerous, it often is a sign that the leadership is actually quite scared that they are losing the argument.