Statistics vs Alex Salmond

I don't know what they taught Alex Salmond in maths at Linlithgow Academy but whatever it was either Alex wasn't listening as he dreamt of being President of Scotland or else he has now forgotten it.

Today he has said:

"[The Liberal Democrats] are Labour's little helpers in Scotland and they should be clear that the longer they stay joined at the hip to Labour the more support they will lose."

Now I took three A Levels which all included a statistical element and then did a degree with a high statistical element so here are the figures.

1997 General Election
SNP 22.0% Lib Dems 13.0%

1999
FPP SNP 28.7% Lib Dem 14.1%
List SNP 27.3% Lib Dem 12.4%

2001 General Election
SNP 20.1% Lib Dems 16.4%

2003
FPP SNP 23.8% Lib Dem 15.3%
List SNP 20.9% Lib Dem 11.8%

2005 General Election
SNP 17.4% Lib Dem 22.6%

So therefore I make that since the 1997 election SNP down 4.6% Lib Dems up 9.4% on Wesminster Results. Also since the first Scottish Parliament vote in 1999 SNP down 4.9% Lib Dems up 1.2% First Past the Post and SNP down 6.4% Lib Dems down only 0.6% on the more competitive 2003 list vote.

Far from losing support Alex 617,260 SNP votes in 1997 have haemoraged to 412,267 last May and 365,359 Lib Dems in 1997 have become 528,076. If this is losing support I can't wait to see what sucess brings.

Right to Cycle (2)

I wrote earlier this week about one farmer's unilateral action against the 75 Cycle Route near Blackridge. Well today I'm glad to report that an agreement has been met between the council and the landowner and the route will be restored within a fortnight.

Campaign Against Homophobic Bullying.

The Liberal Democrats have today unveiled a new campaign aimed at ending homophobioc bullying in schools.

The camapaign has three aims that:


1. Homophobic taunts and name calling in schools should be challenged immediately by staff.

2. All schools' anti-bullying policies should be required to include measures specifically to deal with homophobic bullying.

3. At least one teacher in every school should undergo training which includes how to tackle homophobic bullying.

As someone who was a victim of some homophobic bullying at school I reckon this campaign is long overdue but looks like it has established keys issues and strategies to deal with this problem.

So add you support by signing the petition.

Scotland Doesn't Believe in Mars

The home of the deep fried Mars bar has turned its back in disbelief at the actions of the company in rebranding its brand name product for the world cup.

Believe AKA Mars is currently experiencing a major slump in sales North of the Border. Being associated with the only successful home nation to qualify for a world cup may be one thing but it is backfiring in other regions, especially when that nation is the Auld Enemy.

However, Mars marketing claims that the Believe slogan can relate to Scotland's hopes of qualifying for South Africa in 2010 are falling on death ears on the tartan army as boxes of Mars are not shifting off the shelves.

Happy Birthday Dufferin County

Coming from Bangor, County Down I was surrounded by places named after the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, Frederick Hamilton-Temple Blackwood. He was a major landowner all across the County Down and has locations and plagues in buildings all over the place.

He served as Govenor General to Canada from 1872-8 and it was interesting to stumble across the news that Orangeville, Dufferin County, Ontaria is to honour the 125th Anniversary of the naming of the county with a statue of the man who did a great influence of the advancement of Canada.

Back home you can play golf at Blackwood Golf Club, drink at the Ava Bar next to the train station, walk along Dufferin Avenue or Hamilton Road where you'll find Dufferin Hall attached to Bangor Parish Church, or further along to Hamilton House.

Judge's Sick Cover Sorted in Parliament

Whatever we think of John Prescott he does fill one vital role, if anything should happen to Tony Blair or he is out of the country or on holiday Prezza steps up to carry out the role vacated by the leader of the country. The same has not been so for the top Judge in Scotland.

Steps have been taken by Jack McConnell to ensure that the recent lack of cover for the top post on the Scottish judicary is not repeated.

Lord Hamilton was only started his new post in December last year but has been off with stress since April and was admitted to the priory last week. In his absence no other judge could run important judicial organisations, advise the Executive or make decisions on certain appeal cases. So far three cases have been delayed because of Lord Hamilton's illness.

Lord Gill the Lord Justice Clerk is set to step in to cover for the incapacitated Hamilton in the interim.

Naughty Boy Gives Up Home

So John Prescott has given up Dorneywood. No more croquet on the lawns for him and his staff then. The Times Online front page is interestingly laid out today.

Firstly there is the headline Prescott Quits House which can be slightly miscontrued. Normally for a MP this would have other connotations that what is relevant in Prezza's case.

Directly below that however is the headline that naughty boys cost an extra £6,000 a year. Surely that is a conservative estimate when it come to Prescott. Between his former grace and favour Dorneywood and his retained appartment at Admiralty House he is costing far more than that. Then there is the £133,000 salary for not running a department any longer. The guy has gone from a full time department to a part time job surely that requires some sort of reappraisal of his salary, even if he is the person to stand-in for the boss.