Salmond may not have gone mental but still in denial

As I blogged late on Wednesday there was a little dispute between First Minister Alex Salmond and Dunfermline and West Fife MP Labour's Thomas Docherty. Well his special advisor Douglas Chapman, leader of Fife Council and candidate from the 2006 by election candidate for Docherty's seat has stepped in to deny that the First Minister went mental.

In fact he went so far as to say that Mr Docherty had prepared a fantasy press release. This is good from the man who's team on polling day in Dunfermline and West Fife pulled together a fantasy stake board message that suggested that there was going to be a shock SNP win on the day. His full statement that appears in the Dunfermline Press is:

"Any suggestion that Mr Salmond lost his temper is absolutely incorrect.



"I was in the room along with guests and senior council officers and nothing untoward happened, other than Mr Docherty's approach was totally inappropriate given that the focus of the visit was making children feel really proud of their new school.


"In fact, most people in the room were unaware of any supposed incident and Mr Docherty and his press office are guilty of pure fiction. If anything, it was Mr Docherty's inappropriate approach to Mr Salmond that was aggressive and the First Minister's response was a model of restraint.


"Mr Docherty's childish behaviour was questionable in raising a political issue at the opening of a new school, which was a day for the proud pupils, parents and teachers.


" Mr Docherty then left - presumably to prepare his fantasy press release - and didn't even have the good grace to stay to share the day with the children.


"These actions will be seen by many of his constituents as being not only juvenile and inappropriate but wholly crass and opportunistic.

Mr Docherty's response was:

"If Douglas Chapman's happy putting his name to this statement for Mr Salmond that's fair enough but he was in the room and he knows what really happened."

What I find strange about the whole thing is that  both Alex Salmond's statement on the day and Douglas Chapman's statement now are about image management of the leader and not of the party. There has still been no SNP leadership about the question of Mr Walker's comments yet they are scurrying to build the image of Alex Salmond. From the stories I have heard on doorsteps of Linlithgow while campaigning there I can fully believe that Alex Salmond could lose his temper when he believes he is in private.

Who do you think you are kidding Mr Walker?

The above sign off  or something similar on a email was what was described by Bill Walker MSP (who had already caused a furore over his comments) as "as quite intimidating actually because ... it reminded me of the pre-war Nazi-type stuff banning things." It is a comment that he has since withdrawn saying it was "intemperate".

However the fact that looking to end homophobia, which is what a cross through the word homophobia would clearly convey as anything akin to Nazism is a sign of an out of touch person, sadly this one is sitting in Holyrood. Surely looking at ending a negative and hateful human attitude cannot be same as promoting one? Yet that is what his original statement would have implied.

The problem that the MSP for Dunfermline had in his original comments was that he went on to say:

"It sort of reminded me, I've seen the old films of people, you know, having marks painted on them and all sort of symbols. I just think it is pretty awful."

 I agree with Mr Walker that the marks and symbols painted on people and their homes by the Nazis was not just pretty awful but a damn disgrace. These were later used in the concentration camps to designate the types of prisoner the Yellow Star on the Jews, the Purple Triangle for Jehovah's Witnesses, the Brown Triangle for Romany travellers and of course the Pink Triangle for homosexuals.

It seems a pity that Mr Walker should associate a campaign to end one type of such prejudice with the people who most notoriously prosecuted that prejudice to the point of putting into concentration camps.There were 100,000 who at times from 1933 wore the pink triangle. 10,000 of these were interred in concentration camps of whom 6,000 perished. Maybe Mr Walker should read about that rather that just garnering information from old films, Heinz Heger's The Men with the Pink Triangle would be a good place to start.

The problem did not end there though. After the liberation of the camps many of those marked with a pink triangle were still imprisoned as the Nazi change in the law from a minor offence to a felony still stood on the statute books of the liberated Federal Republic of Germany for some time. Not until 1969 where these laws repelled in the FDR, it wasn't until 1988 they were revoked in the DDR.

Mr Walker is quite correct that such a comment in 'intemperate' especially in light of the history of those who were marked with the pink triangle. However, Germany managed to change their laws, at least for those over 21, in 1969. While England and Wales benefited from the Sexual Offences Act (1967), the gay community in Scotland had to wait until the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 to get the same rights*. Therefore the Germans managed to decriminalise homosexual acts long before the Scots did.

As for the debate on equal marriage Walker has said:

"It is important that this debate is conducted in measured terms, and I have therefore withdrawn the intemperate comment made by me. I will be commenting dispassionately from now on."

I couldn't agree more. I hope he does some reading up on the matter so that he is well informed before it comes into the chamber. Maybe he can meet some of those groups that are campaigning for equal marriage and hear their views and maybe even engage with some of the LGB Christian Groups to hear their views. 

* Two years before Northern Ireland.

Is it not bigotted to disallow freedom of religion to all Mr Walker?

Of course I was sad when Jim Tolson was one of the Liberal Democrat MSPs to lose their seat in the elections today. I was even more saddened this morning when I saw that his replacement the SNP's Bill Walker appears to not believe in equality.

He has signed John Mason's amendment to the Scottish Parliament's Equal Marriage motion, which in itself failed to see the equality of all and freedom of religious groups to decide if they wish to offer same-sex marriage that was enshrined in the motion itself. He claims that he has received some "highly abusive messages" saying he is being intimidated and almost threatened. While I doubt that such behaviour may have been taken from concerned citizens writing to their MSP I would ask any that have done anything other that state a clear point to desist. What I suspect that the MSP has encountered though is a sheer volume of correspondence on the issue, seeking him to change his mind, possibly more than on any other issue that he has faced before. If he finds that intimidating that the public write to him then he is clearly in the wrong jobs as neither Jim Tolson nor Willie Rennie as the MP who was unseated in 2010 found correspondence from their constituents intimidating but a challenge to be seized.


What has saddened me is Mr Walker's response as published in the Dunfermline Press.

"I'm very upset about it. I feel I’ve been intimidated and almost threatened.


"I have been called a bigot and all sorts of names, saying I live in the dark ages.

"The irony is I got married a few weeks ago. Needless to say it was to a woman!

"There are things called civil partnerships, which I accept, but I'm really concerned about the use of the term 'gay marriage' because to me it’s a contradiction in terms and anything that puts homosexual relationships as any way equal to male-female marriages is just not right."

Tim Hopkins, of the Equality Network, told PinkNews:

"By saying that same-sex relationships are not in any way equal to male/female ones, Bill Walker is expressing homophobic prejudice. 

"His remarks are an affront to many of his constituents, and not just the LGBT ones. He is free to express his opinions, but must expect those opinions to be criticised if they are prejudiced and offensive.

"Bill Walker claims to have received 'highly abusive and bullying' emails from 'gay rights organisations'. However, the national LGBT organisations in Scotland – ourselves, Stonewall and LGBT Youth – invariably engage debate with anyone without abuse or exaggeration – unlike Bill Walker, it seems."

There is an arrogance about some of these in religious groups, Mr Walker is a member of the Church of Scotland but claims this does not affect his decision, that only the stance of their religious group is the right one. There are religious groups the Quakers, Unitarian and some liberal Synagogues plus the Humanists that wish to carry out marriage for all, whether mixed-gender or same-gender. They do not have the issue over the word.

Even calling it 'gay marriage' shows an element of separation in Messrs Walker and Mason's minds. I don't want to have a gay marriage that is separate from a 'straight marriage' I just want the option of a marriage. I'd also like it not to be separated into a civil partnership section and then a religious element (as has been proposes by David Cameron at Westminster to try and get around objectors) if 'we'* choose to have it in a church building, but fully integrated as all current church weddings are conducted.

There are religious groups that are prepared to offer not just their building to same-gender partnerships, but to fully integrate same-gender marriage to all into their ethos. These are welcoming people of faith, yet their beliefs and desires for religious freedom are being blocked by a few who disagree with their interpretation of the word marriage. The only people being forced to do anything are those open religious groups from turning away same-gender couples from the marriages they wish to perform. That surely is bigotry that we cannot condone.

* There is no other half of that we statement yet, but obviously the choice of service will be down to two of us in the end. So you can all stop thinking of buying a hat for the wedding just now.

Farewell Mrs Leish

Sad news that Mary the 53 year old wife of former Livingston manager Jim Leishman has passed away following a battle with cancer.

Yesterday was the couple's 30th Wedding Anniversary and apparently Mary hung around long enough to wish her husband a happy anniversary before dying in the afternoon surrounded by her family.

I no doubt express the sympathy of all the Livingston fans for who Jim was the iconic manager. Our thoughts and prayers go to Leish and their children Kate and Jamie.

A Piece of History

Roll up. Roll up. Get your piece of by-election history on e-bay.

A signed Win with Willie Rennie corex diamond.

That's Fife

Oh, look what there is out there.

I wonder if Gordon Brown is going to get one. Probably not deemed prudent.

It makes all the sore feet really worth it, I’ll be placing my order later.

Thanks to Alex Foster for pointing this out.

Helping Willie Say Thank You

I have just returned from Inverkeithing where I was distributing thank you leaflets on behalf of Willie Rennie.

The Scotsman magazine today had a article on Willie's first fortnight in Westminster. It mentioned the fact that the first time he returned in daylight he got unto the bridge and realised that in front of him he saw his constituency. My timing of reading this couldn't have been better as just as I reached that line my train was starting to cross the Firth of Forth on the rail bridge. Mind you I'd heard this story from Willie last week following the hustings.

Anyway I turned up at that very familiar office, soon to be vacated for new premises in Dunfermline, for another few hundred leaflets to deliver. Everyone in the office was still smiling. Someone said it felt like forever that they had had a Liberal Democrat MP rather than just two weeks. I did the long drag from the office down the High Street to the far end of town yet again. I know the steps to those flats so well by know. I can find the back entrances in the dark, because at times I have done.

Having seen a number of people only last week it seems like I have never been away. Mind you it was lovely to put out a thank you leaflet from a Lib Dem MP for the first time in my campaigning career. I know it won't be the last.

Gloves Coming Off for Holyrood 2007

So the gloves appear to have come off for the 2007 Scottish Election looking at the media over the last 24 hours in Scotland.

You have to admire the gall of Alec Salmond, leader of the SNP. Last night he called a gain of 143 votes on a turn out of 30% in the Milton council by-election in Glasgow on a par with 4000+ extra votes across a whole constituency in Dunfermline and West Fife. It was similar to the SNP use of a ward result in Dunfermline and West Fife as evidence that there was a massive swing in their direction and as sure-fire evidence that Douglas Chapman and not Willie Rennie was heading to Westminster.

Then The Herald runs an article that Labour MPs are calling for a rethink in strategy and forming links with smaller groups in return for not contesting the list seats themselves. Surely that is showing up the absolute travesty of the top up list system. If Labour are attempting to escape proportionality the whole system needs redressing to a fairer PR system.

The Times Scottish Edition only run a story about how Labour now should be targeting the Liberal Democrats as the main opposition next May and not the SNP. It quotes one Labour MSP as saying:

"The Nationalists will always be an irritant but the dynamics of Scottish politics are changing. Look at what happened in the general election last year. Not only are the Lib Dems now the second biggest party in share of the vote across Scotland but they’re now the second party in Glasgow."

Another MSP said:

"We have to accept that in many parts of Scotland the SNP is no longer the target for us."

Well the race appears to be on and we have the momentum, this is going to be one long race. With the death of Jackie Pallo this week I think its a case of "Greetings, grapple fans. Welcome to the Holyrood Bowl, Scotland"

Final Day Dunfermline and West Fife Campaign

A report from your Lib Dem Blogger on the spot.

Firstly a big thank you to the fellow bloggers Neil Fawcett, Alex Foster, Will Howells and I know I'm missing someone who actually came to Fife to help win this for Willie Rennie. Also to the rest of you involved in Telephone Canvassing or writing addresses and to the MPs including Bloggers Lynne Featherstone and John Hemming who sent key people such as Mark Pack and Tom both outstanding in their own way.

So what was my third long day of the year like (May 5, September 29, and February 9)?

Well spent the night before polling day with Willie's agent Peter Barrett and his wife Liz so that I could get to the office bright and breezy for a 5am start on the streets.

Arrived shortly after and was straight out again to Crossford to do once again one of the first runs I did in the campaign. Moving with the stealth of a cat, having practised on General Election day and again for the Livingston by-election I managed to avoid waking people and only two dogs while getting out a good morning leaflet urging people to send Our Willie to Westminster. I was getting a bit worried as time ticked on but made the 8:20 train at Inverkeithing Station which carried me to Haymarket then I went out to Edinburgh Park with moments to spare to get to work.

There is nothing worse than spending polling day of an election that you have spent so much time on sitting behind you normal work desk. I was itching to get out of there and back over to Dunfermline; I was feeling so out of the loop.

5pm came 12 hours into polling day operations and I could finally get back to it. Returned to Inverkeithing station to be greeted by an SNP canvasser on the platform, greeted him in a loud voice with 'No thank you, I'll not be supporting any party that is only going to come 3rd.' Then Watched with glee as he failed to offload a single leaflet to any of the other occupants of my carriage.

Turned up at HQ in Inverkeithing just before 6pm to be dispatched straight away off to the Dunfermline Committee Room with a letter from Cllr Joe Rosiejak. Turned up there and was turned around straight away again to some streets off Townhill Road with a different leaflet. We returned to the car to find a sealed postal ballot had been left on the windscreen.

Returned to the committee room to enquire where the nearest polling station was and then rushed off to the Carnegie Hall to hand the postal ballot in. Then it was off out again to deliver some of that letter from Councillor Rosiejak I'd brought across earlier. Kept going with that until about 9:45 then returned to the committee room. Exhausted and aching but sure I could do nothing more.

After a quick cup of tea it was off to HQ to wait for the result. While we were waiting we watched Question Time and have some pizza and other food. Some interesting tribalism was going on during Question Time but when certain phones went off all heads turned to gauge from expressions what was going on. We knew it was close and too early to call, but no matter what knew it was not going to be a good night for Labour.

Finally the confirmation came through that we had won it and the room went ecstatic.

Reasons to be Cheerful:

All the hard work had been worth it we had helped to send Willie to Westminster.

It was a 16.8% swing against Labour after the month the party has had.

The last time the Liberal's held Dunfermline was from 27 October 1931 to 14 November 1935 (interestingly for me the same day that Labour gained their current hold on Linlithgowshire then West Lothian).

It was the first by-election win by the Scottish Liberal Democrats from Labour since the party's formation and the first of any of the predecessor party's in living memory. Strange to think that George Galloway's old seat Glasgow Hillhead was Conservative before his predecessor Roy Jenkins won it in March 1982. Indeed the last time a Liberal candidate won a by-election from a Labour hold was in 1908 in Dundee, the sucessful candidate was a young upstart called Winston Churchill.

So the celebrations really got under way as we prepared for the arrival of Willie Rennie MP. Obviously others returned first from the count. I caught up with Cllr Rosiejak and told him I'd been out delivering his letter until almost close of poll. He told me he'd met a constituent at the polling place who had said they only decided to come and vote for Willie when they received that letter from him at about 9:30, i.e. while I was still out delivering them to her area.

There was much handshaking, hugging and back patting going on then the BBC crew arrived to prepare for their shots. Then finally we all gathered outside waiting for Willie to arrive, holding our Win with Willie signs proudly his car finally entered the car park but still had to go around the building to get to us at the entrance.

The chant started up of 'Willie! Willie!' and then the car came into view. Peter Barrett the agent and Nicol Stephen went over to greet the newest Member of Parliament and his wife with TV crew and press in pursuit. The chants continued as he reached us when Alex Cole-Hamilton and Peter lifted him shoulder high. Willie grabbed one of his signs and gave and interview from up there in front of HQ's entrance. He went in and we all trooped in for Willie to thank every one of us as we filed past. Then the lined the corridor to where the party was set up for Willie to get the party properly started.

Just as we were about to get partying another news crew, who will remain anonymous, turned up and asked us to do a lot of the greeting stuff again as they had managed to miss our HQ. Despite all the signage up at it for the original spontaneous acts.

But everyone was really buzzing after the tension of earlier in the evening to the untold joy of knowing we had achieved the first overturn of Tony Blair's Third Term.

If Dunfermline Spells a Canada Moment

I know the next General Election is a long way off but I just loved this post by Dan on Political Betting:

Based on the vote changes in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, here are the results of a General Election:

Liberal Democrat Majority 140

L D 38.24% 393 MPs
Con 30.74% 220 MPs
Lab 19.30% 1 MP

Now that is startlingly like the Canada result of 1992 that almost wiped out their Conservatives.

Although using the Baxter formula a later poster got the result of:

LD … 35.87% … 341
Con … 30.73% … 250
Lab … 19.39% … 21

Still very good.


Total fantasy? Probably, but it shows that the glass ceiling is breakable. Now we need some excellent candidates from all walks of British life.

Dear David Cameron

Next to that letter on the leaflet that the PM quoted at you this week is a statement from Adrian Graves, that one and only 'prominent' Liberal Democrat your party are claiming to have snagged since Charles Kennedy stood down as leader. He says:

The arrival of David Cameron at the helm of the Conservative Party has precipitated a fundamental shift in both the direction and political atmoshere within the (Conservative) Party. As a result politics is suddenly dynamic and interesting again. Importantly, this new phenomenon offers - arguably for the first time since 1997 - the only potentially acheivable opportunity for 'regime change' at the next general election.

Now I know we have mocked Mr Graves in the past but it looks like he may be prophetic after all. Politics this morning is now suddenly dynamic and interesting. The arrival of David Cameron has had an effect a slight drop in their vote and the realisation of people that voting for the Conservatives is confusing at best as nobody knows what they stand for, a bit like the media branded the Lib Dems in the early days.

Now this phenomenon does offer the only potentially acheivable opportunity for regime change at the next general election, that is to vote Liberal Democrat. After the month that we have had in the media to win on a 18% swing can only show that we have the right policies for the people of Britain and that when we can present those to the people they respond. The potential for regime change in Westminster is there and it lies in the hands of hte next leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Labour In Leadership Crisis

With Tony Blair saying he will not fight another election as leader the Labour party leadership succession was thrown into chaos tonight when bookies favourite to succeed Mr. Blair for the last 11 years, Mr. G Brown of North Queensferry, became a constituent of a Liberal Democrat MP.

Normally, I would not say that this should be a disadvantage to anyone become leader of their party however Mr. Brown was actively involved in the campaign for his home seat. However, as the Glasgow Herald reports:

"For Mr Brown, this is personal – because he made it so. With the death of Rachel Squire last month, Labour rushed into a brief campaign, with what seemed to be a safe bet that they could capitalise on the combination of her legacy, a big majority, and two rivals vying to establish themselves in second place.
Mr Brown swung into action as the neighbouring MP, eager to show his Westminster colleagues he is a vigorous election winner. It is by a measure of his own choosing that the chancellor has become an election loser.

"If anyone is harbouring plans to stand against him when Tony Blair stands down (John Reid, the defence secretary, for instance?) Fife voters yesterday gave him some powerful ammunition"

Mr. Brown took control of what he considered his own personal domain. Riding rough shod at times over the Scottish Labour party who have jurisdiction over a number of areas such as transport which Gordon took a keen interest.

Defeated Labour candidate Catherine Stihler can at least be thankful that she did not have to give up her day job as an MEP before losing. However, she appears to not even be heeding her own advice:

We have to listen to the people and we have to learn. We fought for Labour values and this time we lost. But we'll keep on fighting for them and we will keep fighting and we will win again.

Surely the people of Dunfermline and West Fife have told you that the values on which you stood do not appeal to them any longer. If all the people of Britain who feel the same way take the same courageous step and tell you so at the next general election whoever succeeds Mr. Blair as leader of you party may find themselves in for an even more torrid time and possibly even face some recuperation time on the opposition benches to a Liberal Democrat PM.

You Know They're in Trouble When

The Scottish Secretary evokes the name of the late MP to encourage out their vote in what should be a safe seat.

"I ask everyone who lives in Dunfermline and West Fife to preserve [Rachel Squire's] memory by voting for Labour."

"Do it for Rachel. And do it for every hard-working family, every pensioner and every child in your community."

Alistair Darling

Actually Alistair the people of Dunfermline vote for themselves. If they are not happy with how you and the rest of Tony Blair's cronies are running things they can vote against you and vote you out, such is the joy of democracy.

Yesterday, Tony Blair accused David Cameron of flip-flopping while brandishing a Conservative leaflet from the Dunfermline by-election a dangerous thing to do Tony considering the amount of flip-flopping Labour has done over road tolls and bridges as a result of the same election campaign.

Stuck in Work for Another Few Hours

I was up at 5 this morning and out in Crossford delivering for the Dunfermline by-election. I was dropped of at Inverkiething Station at 8:10 and just made it in in time for work at 9. Before you ask I did ask for today off but due to staffing issues was not allowed the time. I did take two days off last week which was the most they would allow.

I wish I was the other side of the Forth ironically something I can see from the office rather than stuck in Edinburgh working, in fact I'm in an all day training session today, and I'm still awake. The buzz in the office last night and this morning was great. I did not see any Labour or SNP out and about where I was delivering and that included being right next to a polling station. I'm getting goosebumps and ichey feet (as well as sore) and can't wait to head back there after 5 this evening, hopefully another train won't break down in Edinburgh this evening.

If you are close enough and have the time get over there. Things are moving and tonight is going to be tense but lets see how much of a bloody nose we can give Blair and Brown.

Drop Everything

Get to Dunfermline.

UPDATE

We're in the ball park! Labour spent yesterday evening frantically calling up their vote to make sure it was still theirs.

Just think how the media attention would shift on Friday morning from the travails of the last month with a new Liberal Democrat MP.

So stop right now. Book a flight, hop on a train or gather a car load of fellow Lib Dems and get to Dunfermline so we can ensure that we send Willie Rennie to Westminster tomorrow.

Some Things About the Next MP

1. As Erland Watson said the other night in campaign HQ:

"Vote Willie Rennie for MP as he beat Tony Blair before he was elected"

Referring to the lost votes earlier this week when between 15 and 25 Labour MPs were up in Dunfermline instead of at the crucial vote on the Racial and Relgious Hatred Bill.

2. As The Times said on Friday:

"Willie Rennie, who, most people agree, is the best of the candidates."

So why settle for second best.

3. He is a Fifer fighting for Fife.

4. Dunfermline can either have someone who will stand up for them against the Labour government or have another yes man for Tony Blair. However, after the votes on Tuesday it appears that even the Prime Minister cannot be relied on to back his own policies in tight votes.

5. He is opposed to the £4 Bridge Toll.

However, just over £2000 more is needed by 9pm tonight to swell Lord Rennard's coffers for the final push to make sure Willie Rennie is heading to Westminster on Friday morning. Spread the word.

The Best Candidate: Willie Rennie

There was excellent press coverage of yesterday's events in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election. The Times even said what we already knew on the ground that most people agree that Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat, is the best candidate in this by-election.

The message is getting out and there are too many people that I have meet over the last few weeks to name them all here. But more and more people are coming to offer what time they have. Next friday we could have our 63rd MP in place. If can get up to Dunfermline come the atmosphere is great as Lib Dems from all corners of the country are entusiastically doing whatever they can and whatever needs to be done.

If you can't come please make a donation to Lord Rennard's appeal, he is seeking to raise £10,000 by Sunday evening for the final push and we are already 2/3rds of the way there.

Whatever you can do make sure that Dunfermline gets the best person representing them after Thursday. Help send Willie to Westminster.

My Day in the Media Scrum

As you may have seen there was quite a lot of media attention in Dunfermeline and West Fife, especially as Charles Kennedy was back on the campaign trail, along quite a large number of Liberal Democrat MPs and activists.

Well I was there. In fact as I was leaving the campaign HQ Willie Rennie's agent handed me the campaign camera and asked to me to get as many pictures as I could. Now normally this would not be too big an ask, however, when I turned up in the centre of Dunfermline and saw the number of press assembled I knew I was going to be tough. We gathered waiting for Charles and Willie to appear, both the press and the party faithful anxious waiting to get going. After a false alarm when Danny Alexander MP and Jim Wallace MSP caused a media rush in the wrong direction the car eventually arrived.

My first few shots were more miss than hit and included a brilliant snap of the Mark and Spencer’s signage, some Lib Dem balloons and the tops of some super signs. I had to think like a photojournalist to get the right shots. So I started to look for vantage points and kept hopping ahead of the throng in the hope of being in the right spot. Sure enough I started to get better taking pictures of mikes, other cameras and the back of super signs or journalists head.

I was starting to share the camaraderie of the press pack snappers trying to get their shots. I also had one advantage I could shout at the odd Lib Dem to twist or lower a corex super sign to allow a good shot. Charles and Willie eventually made it to the other end of the street stopping at a charity shop, a bakers and the tourist information office. Along the way they stopped for several interviews and even met some brave souls who were prepared to enter the media scrum to say a few words to Charles and Willie.

Oh, I did get some pictures that were usable at the end of the day, but now I know why the press just keep snapping away.

Too Many Fights For Labour

One of the excuses Labour are spinning for losing two votes on the Religious Hatred Bill last night, apart from Tony going home for his Cocoa, is that a number of MPs were absent from the House campaigning in Dunfermline. There are differences of opinion over how many Labour MPs were in Fife, the BBC say 15 however The Scotsman is saying as many as 25.

Now I have two questions for Labour.

1) Why were so many of your MPs away from such important business in the House of Commons, especially as George Galloway was there voting with the majority of the Labour Party? Especially as many of your members criticised George for not attending to Parliamentary business while locked in the Big Brother house.

2) With so many MPs away in Dunfermline during the working week are you scared of losing Dunfermline and West Fife to the challenging Liberal Democrat candidate Willie Rennie on 9 February?

I doubt I'll ever get the straight answers but I'll let you draw your own conclusions. However, I'm looking forward to seeing looks of anxiety on Labour faces on polling day judging by all that has gone before.

Or course some may have opted for Dunfermline to avoid having to vote in such a controversial and illiberal bill, if so I applaud them.

No Longer Bottom of the League

After finally getting over all the elections of this year it is a relief to get back to watching football on a Saturday afternoon again.

This afternoon I took the short hop to Dunfermline for what was a real needle match, there is a lot of animosity between the fans and the chairmen of the two clubs. However, we came away smiling as Livingston won away 1-0 and deservedly so. There was a good traveling support we had to queue for fifteen minutes to get to the turnstile. But Paul Dalglish standing in sparkling form and it was he who scored a belter of a goal. Sized up looking to get through from the edge of the box just like his old man. If it is King Kenny we have definitely found Prince Paul.

The result is our first win in the league all season following 5 draws. However most importantly it takes us off the bottom leaving Dunfermline there instead with just one win and three draws.

While we were getting back into the car the draw was made for the semi-finals when we avoided Celtic and got Dunfermline again. There is a real possibility of us getting to our fourth game at Hampden (semi-finals of the Scottish are also played at the national stadium).