Tuesday 30 June 2009
Dundee Hosts the Cabinet
Secret Justice
Monday 29 June 2009
Gordon Brown is Considering Ditching Nuclear Weapons
BBC's Glastonbury Extravaganza
Grey is Good for You
Sunday 28 June 2009
Britainnia Shrivels under Gordon Brown
Japanese Water Powered Car
The Real David Cameron Speaks to Scots
Saturday 27 June 2009
Subrosa's Super Seven blogs
Daily Kos - Ban the burqa, not exactly
EU Referendum - a lack of focus
Joyce McMillan online - Calman report looks out of time in a post-unionist age
Our Scotland - A Scottish forum
Prodicus - Speaker Berk
Scots Voices - An Introduction
The Adam Smith Institute - promotes a publication about the recession by Dr David Simpson. The publication is a PDF and a worthwhile read
Fish Suppers to:
Harry's Place - Berks and Burqas
Should your MP Go - Cleaning up Westminster - interactive map (not really a blog but worth a click)
Tory Totty - It's official - immigration rises by 500% under labour
Armed Forces Day 27 June 2009
Friday 26 June 2009
Tweet Extra
Scotland's 'Soft Touch' Prisons
A New King of the Castle
FMQs 25 June 2009
Thursday 25 June 2009
A Kingdom is run by a King, an Empire by an Emperor so are we living in a Queendom or a Country?
Just who is running this Country?
Brown’s ratings at the polls are so low that only the longterm unemployed and sickness benefit claimants and the seriously intellectually challenged are srill indicating they would vote for him.
He is despised openly and derided privately by other national leaders.
Standby for an initiative, sorry dynamic action!
First Brown brings Mandelson back from Bruxelles.
Then he gives him a peerage title of over 25 letters.
Trust in the integrity of The House of Commons and our very democracy is going down the U bend
Then when he is so down the grubber after the English local and UK Euro Elections, his cabinet is disintegrating around him he calls Mandelson on The Batphone
He put this unelected unaccountable shape-shifter in charge of half the bliddy Government.
Brown declares an new era of transparent Government
He announces a long awaited Iraq enquiry but, says it will be held in private!
Just who is at the helm of SS UK?
Click on this and maybe somethings will become clearer?
We are all doomed ah tell ye, doomed!
Labour advert - David Cameron wants to cut public services
ODD Facts
Tweet of the Week
Wednesday 24 June 2009
Tory Advert - Don't let Brown take you for a fool
What a Nippy Sweetie
Disappointment for Scottish Reporters
For My English Friends
Goodbye to my England, So long my old friend
Your days are numbered, being brought to an end
To be Scottish, Irish or Welsh that's fine
But don't say you're English, that's way out of line.
The French and the Germans may call themselves such
So may Norwegians, the Swedes and the Dutch
You can say you are Russian or maybe a Dane
But don't say you're English ever again.
At Broadcasting House the word is taboo
In Brussels it's scrapped, in Parliament too
Even schools are affected. Staff do as they're told
They must not teach children about England of old.
Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw
The pupils don't learn about them any more
How about Agincourt, Hastings , Arnhem or Mons ?
When England lost hosts of her very brave sons.
We are not Europeans, how can we be?
Europe is miles away, over the sea
We're the English from England, let's all be proud
Stand up and be counted - Shout it out loud!
Let's tell our Government and Brussels too
We're proud of our heritage and the Red, White and Blue
Fly the flag of Saint George or the Union Jack
Let the world know - WE WANT OUR ENGLAND BACK !!!!
Dundee's Shame
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Scotland's £25m Bill for Councillors
Scotland's taxpayers are footing a £25m bill for councillors. That's the combined amount claimed in salaries and expenses by the 1222 elected members across the country's 32 local authority areas. It's a 40% rise on the cost eight years ago and this figure doesn't include the benefits councillors accrue from their publicly subsidised pensions.
The revelations come just months after a hard-hitting report by Scotland's public spending watchdog criticised local authorities for failing to drive down costs and provide value for money.
Under local government allowances rules, which were radically overhauled in May 2007, councillors receive a basic salary of between £15,838 and £47,516, depending on seniority and council size. They are also entitled to claim for subsistence, phone calls and travel expenses, including a 40p per mile rate for using their own car on council business.
It must be said that several councillors across Scotland submitted no claim for expenses.
Without doing into detail I used to know of one councillor who certainly didn't earn their pay. They were in a full-time public service job but had time off from their publicly funded work for which they received the appropriate payment. The constant whine about the extraordinary 80 hour week they said they worked bored me silly because it was obvious, if they were working these hours between two responsible jobs, then neither job was receiving quality attention over the long term. That is the main reason I think nowadays councillors should be full-time and not in any other employment. You may prove me wrong if you wish. I should like to think that most councillors are full-time and ought to declare to their electorate if that isn't the case.
May I also say I know some excellent councillors who do great work and are completely dedicated to their communities but they know that stating they work 80 hours a week would not impress anyone, at least only a few.
These days in Scotland the job of councillor has become important. In an independent Scotland they will be vital. We need the best and councillors ought to have to go through the hoops MSPs do. I say that because I know my own councillor but I've never had any contact with her and she's never made any attempt to make contact with me. Not even a cheap flyer. Easy money?
May I also say I know some excellent councillors who do great work and are completely dedicated to their communities.